Tyler Bozak Appreciation Thread

[StuckOutHere]

imagine if we signed Weiss instead. Bullet = dodged

Personally, I was a fan of the let Bozak walk, sign Ribeiro plan. Still am. Ribeiro got so much crap for diving when he was younger. All he has done since is score at a ~70 pt pace consistently.

 

[seanlinden]

Its a great thing, but the fact that he hasn't clocked past 50points is troubling. Hence, if he gets a 50+ point season I'd be very happy to see some more offensive spark from bozak

Why is it troubling? The team is scoring when he's on the ice. Who cares if he's the one showing up on the score sheet?

 

[McGuiresMonsters]

Its a great thing, but the fact that he hasn't clocked past 50points is troubling. Hence, if he gets a 50+ point season I'd be very happy to see some more offensive spark from bozak

To be fair he's scored at a 50+ point pace every year except one (10-11). That was the year the KGM line was our best, so he probably wasn't getting PP1 time.

 

[leafs in five]

Why is it troubling? The team is scoring when he's on the ice. Who cares if he's the one showing up on the score sheet?

it really is remarkable:
http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?team=tor&min_gp=50&sit=5v5&pos=S&sort=gf_pct_rel

 

[jmart21]

For a fanbase that does nothing but complain about our players being heartless I find it ironic. Guy does nothing but work his butt off on every shift over 200 ft of the rink and gets nothing but grief from the fans because he's not as good as Getzlaf, Toews, Malkin or Crosby.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

imagine if we signed Weiss instead. Bullet = dodged

But the shooter fired two , the other one was called Clarkson. Bullet = direct hit.

 

[sommervr]

it really is remarkable:
http://www.extraskater.com/players/on-ice?team=tor&min_gp=50&sit=5v5&pos=S&sort=gf_pct_rel

PDO 105, SH 13.1 percent. Either Bozak is suddenly better than Crosby or he has a horseshoe up his ***

 

[leafs in five]

it's hard to say that Bozak hasn't been worth his wage this season, anyway.

 

[Diatomic]

Why is it troubling? The team is scoring when he's on the ice. Who cares if he's the one showing up on the score sheet?

Because I'd expect more than 50 points if your going to play in that #1C #1PP role. Its like saying Clarkson is hitting, fighting, blocking shots and improving his teammates when he's on the ice. That's great and all but your not producing yet being payed tuns of money, production is a big factor to say the least.

 

[Schennanigans]

Bozak is playing well, but the question is for how long, can he do this for 70+ games in a season...

 

[The Caveman]

Bozak's game has been improving every year. He is becoming a smarter player. Since he came out of US College, it is understandable that he would mature later.

No, he will never be a Tavares or Crosby, but in my books a player who can play an important role in the PP, PK, 5on5 and be there to take important F/O's at the end of the game is well worth his $4+ million/yr in today's NHL.

Label him whatever you want, but he is, and has, earned his salary since he has been a Leaf.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Also, it's pretty telling, that Bozak played, probably his best game of the year, without Phil Kessel on his line.

Meaning what, that he should be moved off of Kessel's line? Or that he can score without Kessel's help, which he didn't really, since both of his goals were assisted by Kessel.

PDO 105, SH 13.1 percent. Either Bozak is suddenly better than Crosby or he has a horseshoe up his ***

He also should have had 10 goals by now considering that interference call against JVR the other night was utter nonsense.

 

[SarcazemKadri]

I think a big reason behind Bozak's success this season is his strength. He has always been a player with a slight frame, as proven through his unwillingness to go pro earlier in his career due to self-perceived size issues. However, this year, he looks leaps and bounds stronger.

He is winning considerably more 50/50 battles, has been great on the boards and is now a reliable face-off man. Big fan.

 

[seanlinden]

Because I'd expect more than 50 points if your going to play in that #1C #1PP role. Its like saying Clarkson is hitting, fighting, blocking shots and improving his teammates when he's on the ice. That's great and all but your not producing yet being payed tuns of money, production is a big factor to say the least.

So it's a problem because YOU'D expect that he'd get more points. I guess I'll reiterate my previous question, is winning hockey games determined by getting points? or scoring more goals than the opposition? Because that line with Bozak on it scores 1.1-1.2 goals per game, a number that rivals some of the best lines in the league, and in terms of goals against, nothing really to complain about there.

 

[New Liskeard]

Because I'd expect more than 50 points if your going to play in that #1C #1PP role. Its like saying Clarkson is hitting, fighting, blocking shots and improving his teammates when he's on the ice. That's great and all but your not producing yet being payed tuns of money, production is a big factor to say the least.

That's what Clarkson was brought here to provide. That is common knowledge. You seem to be more concerned with players accomplishments, rather than the team as a whole. I could care less how much Bozak produces if his linemates play extremely well, Bozak does the important things, and the team wins. We do know that Bozak makes the first line click, as well as his linemates, whereas Kadri has been unable to do that so far.

 

[Milan90]

I'm pretty sure Datsyuk is a #1C with #1 PP time and he scores at like a 60 point clip.

 

[Peasy]

^ He averages a little more than that, I say hes like a 75 point guy, but Datsyuk is by far one of the most overrated played in the league.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

I think a big reason behind Bozak's success this season is his strength. He has always been a player with a slight frame, as proven through his unwillingness to go pro earlier in his career due to self-perceived size issues. However, this year, he looks leaps and bounds stronger.

He is winning considerably more 50/50 battles, has been great on the boards and is now a reliable face-off man. Big fan.

He is better along the boards and has shown good balance, but he's still below 50% on faceoffs.

 

[Sonny21]

His becoming our own ROR. His defense not as elite but better skater which helps his offense.

At worst, he will be our 2nd line centre if we ever draft/trade for franchise centre.

 

[jmart21]

His becoming our own ROR. His defense not as elite but better skater which helps his offense.

At worst, he will be our 2nd line centre if we ever draft/trade for franchise centre.

Yep.

As Dreger said today on TSN Radio (paraphrasing):

Is he a prototypical top line C? - No.

But he does have clear chemistry on the top line along with being the best defensive player in our top6

People say "oh he's not a Crosby or a Toews or a Kopitar" but these players aren't available. You make do with what you have and Tyler Bozak does a fine job as the centre on that line.

In a perfect world, the leafs get a franchise centre type player and Bozak slots in as a "very, very good No2", Bolland and McClement round out the bottom 6 and Kadri is traded for help on the blueline.

Problem is, those players don't just become available, so you have to make do with what you have.

I agree with everything he said.

 

[Purity*]

^ He averages a little more than that, I say hes like a 75 point guy, but Datsyuk is by far one of the most overrated played in the league.

The past 2 years he has been way overrated. Before that however, he could easily make his case for a top-5 player in the league, he consistently put up 90-100 points with awesome 2-way play and tons of intangiblez. Watching him play this season, he doesn't look like the same superstar he was 2005-2010, number-wise somewhat, but play-wise not so much.

 

[ACC1224]

I imagine this thread will be closed after I post this because of the silly 1000 post limit but the Bozak deal is starting to look like very good value.

 

[Cor]

Yeah, it looks like Bozak is a core member of this time while Kadri seems like he will be moved sooner rather then later

 

[veedubn1]

PDO 105, SH 13.1 percent. Either Bozak is suddenly better than Crosby or he has a horseshoe up his ***

If you watched the kid play you would know that's not the case.

Our goalies face a lot of shots and their save % is high.. which should explain the PDO.

Look at Bozak's goals this year and you'll see that they aren't flukey snipes.. he's positioning himself well and making the opportunities (generated by his awesome linemates) count.

 

[leafs in five]

Yeah, it looks like Bozak is a core member of this time while Kadri seems like he will be moved sooner rather then later

love this new patient Leafs approach. good stuff.