Tyler Bozak Appreciation Thread

[Cor]

I hate this place sometimes... hate it hate it hate it

 

[William Hylander]

this is why I appreciate Bozak (I've never had an issue with him overall btw).

When he is not in the line up, it is very obvious what he brings to the club. He's not Sidney Crosby, or another elite centre, but he's a very serviceable one that has a good toolbox that we depend on. When he wasn't in the last game in the playoffs, it was obvious that he wasn't there.

so many people are point watching and making that equal up "not good." (or very wrapped up on the kessel BFF thing).

Kessel fits in our team makeup very well

We were doing well without him for some time in THAT game. But I think our lack of center depth and the fact Grabovski had to play more when he was struggling already is what cost us in the end. If Kadri or Grabo were to have gotten injured instead I think we would have been just as disadvantaged.

 

[I Am The Stig]

I hate this place sometimes... hate it hate it hate it

You'd think you were on the internet with some of the posts that are made on these boards.

 

[false bobo]

I dunno what else Bozak has to do to win some of you guys over. The guy is one of our most consistent players and is an integral part of this winning team. Sheesh.

Good timing on the thread, Bozak needs some love.

21 min a night, short handed goal, faceoffs and pk work and good shootout skills. I like my swiss army knife player tyvm.

Yup. People love to rip Bozak but don't offer any suggestions as to who could replace what he does for us. There's a reason he's held his position through two coaches, one of whom is a Cup winner. Must be doing something right.

 

[happyaccident]

Nobody offers suggestions on who should have replaced Bozak. Then mention Grabovski's name and get told to **** about Grabovski.
Can't win, I guess.
Ask Reimer's mom if Bozak does all the little things right after the last goal that got Reimer pulled, she may argue with you.

 

[olivertwist*]

i often find myself yelling at him cause he can't bury - but i do like bozak hes deadly on the breakway and shootout, good at faceoffs good penalty killer and works well with kessel

just wish he could bury a bit more and wish he wasnt on the pp

 

[HellasLEAF]

Bozak has great intangibles.

I like him a lot. I'm sure he realized he better be really good at face-offs because he doesn't have those elite hands of the top centres in the league. He's clearly the weak link on that line too. The other two are a few cuts above in the skill department.

He's a valuable component to the team. I don't agree with top line minutes or top pp though for Bozey. On a cup winning team he's not that player.

 

[leafstilldeath*]

- Richards plays with Jeff Carter who scored 26 goals last year, why doesn't he have more points?

- Show me proof that his lien spends more time in the D-zone, I'm calling BS on that.

- Why would we want him driving the game forward when Kessel is on his line? Does Patrick Sharp drive his line's play forward when playing with Kane? You would hope not...

- Again, I just proved to you that in the last 2 years he has offensively produced at a higher clip than a boanfide "star" top-6 C, how can you still tell me he is inadequate offensively? Keep in mind this is still only his 4th year in the league and his offensive numbers have improved every season.

- He is also our best shootout player, and hate it or love it, the shootout is an important aspect of the game where points are up for grabs.

FIRST OMG you did not just imply that Kane=Bozak? if you did

Richards is an overrated player. Second, Ricahrds plays with Carter, Bozo the clown plays with Kessel and JVR, and played with Kessel-Lupul

You want to draw a direct comparison between Ricahrd and bozak then take the year when Bozak-Kessel-Kulemin played together. I know not enough sample size but for consistency that has to be it. In statistical language its called indexing.

Yes shoot out is an important aspect of the game where points are up for grabs BUT if we have a capable center playing with Kessel and JVR then we might not even have to go to the shoot out most of the time. More so now that we have 2 capable goalies and a defensive system that does not suck.

Bozak is a decent 3rd line C not a top 6 player anywhere on any other team.

 

[jmart21]

FIRST OMG you did not just imply that Kane=Bozak? if you did

Richards is an overrated player. Second, Ricahrds plays with Carter, Bozo the clown plays with Kessel and JVR, and played with Kessel-Lupul

You want to draw a direct comparison between Ricahrd and bozak then take the year when Bozak-Kessel-Kulemin played together. I know not enough sample size but for consistency that has to be it. In statistical language its called indexing.

Yes shoot out is an important aspect of the game where points are up for grabs BUT if we have a capable center playing with Kessel and JVR then we might not even have to go to the shoot out most of the time. More so now that we have 2 capable goalies and a defensive system that does not suck.

Bozak is a decent 3rd line C not a top 6 player anywhere on any other team.

Bozak Is a top6 C. Hard to argue against it.

 

[TheKule]

I honestly hate Tyler Bozak.

3rd line C, as we've been saying for YEARS.

 

[Beleafer19]

We should have let Bozak walk this past summer. Most people would take Richards over Bozak any day. Bozak rarely has 20 goals a season and has no finish whatsoever. Yeah great he can score on break aways but he can't think the game fast enough and his vision on the ice is non-existent. You are comparing a first round pick to undrafted player in the past year and a half including a lockout season which shouldn't have been taken too seriously as a lot of players had difficulties that year. He is still here because no one better is available and its as simple as that. Once we find an upgrade available there is no way Bozak stays on that first line.

 

[leafspyinottawa]

I honestly hate Tyler Bozak.

3rd line C, as we've been saying for YEARS.

Who let Grabivski in here?

 

[Phion Keneuf]

You guys are really ignorant, no offense.

If Bozak was a legit top line center he would've got paid at LEAST 6 mil a year on his contract.

You expect him to play like a legit top liner yet ignore the fact that management, his agent, and himself are aware that he is a 2nd liner playing the role of a top liner for now.

He is what he is, a solid defensive center with decent offensive talent who can PK and is our Penalty shot specialist.

He is a passenger on the top line skill wise, but he's doing all the little things right which are contributing greatly to that line. Not sure why everyone is hating when we really don't have another option.

 

[rojac]

I've got to admit I've never understood hating players. I can understand being a little frustrated with them, but hating them and racing onto the Internet to compose diatribes against them? I just can't see why someone would waste that much energy.

 

[diceman934]

FIRST OMG you did not just imply that Kane=Bozak? if you did

Richards is an overrated player. Second, Ricahrds plays with Carter, Bozo the clown plays with Kessel and JVR, and played with Kessel-Lupul

You want to draw a direct comparison between Ricahrd and bozak then take the year when Bozak-Kessel-Kulemin played together. I know not enough sample size but for consistency that has to be it. In statistical language its called indexing.

Yes shoot out is an important aspect of the game where points are up for grabs BUT if we have a capable center playing with Kessel and JVR then we might not even have to go to the shoot out most of the time. More so now that we have 2 capable goalies and a defensive system that does not suck.

Bozak is a decent 3rd line C not a top 6 player anywhere on any other team.

Grabo is the best player in the world....yet no one wanted him for nothing....

 

[pooleboy]

bozak sucks, he is only good attribute is his F/O, his defensive prowess is slightly above average, he does nothign but pass the puck to kessel, makes no offensive moves. can never finish anything, there was a 3-2 he messed up the pass, i think kessel or jvr passed it over to a wide open net he fanned on.... and this isn't like the only game he does this, its every game. Kadri would have barried atleast one of them... bozak is good in the Shootout tho.....

 

[SteveV*]

Not a great start to season for Bozie, that is fair comment.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Never have had a problem with Bozak. He's great for the price. He's matured every year and reads the game really well. Takes all the big faceoffs, dangerous shorthanded, and as last night showed he can make really smart plays that lead to goals. People don't want him as 1C so there is an irrational hatred. Thankfully management felt he was a good fit and signed him for a very reasonable price.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Not a great start to season for Bozie, that is fair comment.

Not sure how much more you expect at his price. He's 53.7 on the dot, played all the clutch defensive situations, scored a crucial shorthanded goal single handedly, buried the shootout winner. I suppose that's not a great start but it's certainly a good start. He's flubbed the puck very minimally but he's not paid like or expected to perform like Crosby.

 

[crump]

Took a hit to set up Kessel on that 2-1 with JVR. Great play.

He does get the ire of fans for not being Getzlaf, or Thornton in his prime. Not his fault. He is playing well so far, nice shorty and shoot out results. Whiffed on a open net shot last night, but that happens. Sitting at a 14% shooting percentage. and if you have Kessel and JVR on your wings you are not the one supposed to be shooting. I like his game so far this season.

 

[TieClark]

I really, really don't understand why people use the fact that he plays on the 1st line against him... like he sucks because of where he plays. It doesn't make sense... he is what he is, a useful player that can score 40ish points a year, kill penalties, win faceoffs etc. who happens to be playing on the top unit that is playing very well.

 

[draeko17]

This whole "Bozo the clown" thing is incredibly childish. It seems like Leaf fans have to have a player on the team every year that has to be criticized and belittled for every little thing, with little to no acknowledgement for what positives they do bring to the team. And hating him? Really? HATING someone you don't even know because they aren't uber-skilled? Wow, can't imagine what it's like to go through life with that kind of drama and negativity.

I like Tyler. I too wonder if he had been somewhat healthy and able to take faceoffs in that final game, what the outcome would have been.

A bad start to the season for Bozak? Really? Compared to what? He has a shorthanded goal and an assist, a shoot out goal, it's only three games in to the season. What else was anyone expecting from this guy that apparently has no skillz, wouldn't even be on the third line on any other team in the league.....?

 

[bunjay]

Bozak was bad on faceoffs last night (44%, every other centre was better), lost seemingly every faceoff on the PP (the only reason hes out there), lost important shorthanded d-zone faceoffs, missed wide open nets...and people are trying to give him all sorts of credit for chipping the puck in from outside the blueline on the tying goal

Seriously...the guy was a total non-factor last night. He had zero positive impact, and hurt our top PP unit as he usually does. Flubbed the rebound that was right on his stick on the third goal...defensive prowess.

 

[Shanty]

This thread is almost dead-even split between

"Yeah, he's not a 'true' number 1 C, but he's doing his job and does all the little things right, and who would we replace him with, anyway?"

and

"No he's awful."

 

[PuckMagi]

i like bozak a lot... but i think he should be playing on the 3rd line. bolland and kadri i think are much better than him in an offensive role. i'm fine with either bolland or kadri as our #1.

because bozak is playing on the top line, on the PK, and the PP.... and i think that's a bit much.

i would have him on the 3rd line with Kulemin and maybe Raymond (when Clarkson comes back). That would make for a great shutdown line that can also score too.

he can always play on other lines if we need a faceoff win too.