The Case for Tyler Bozak: All Tyler Bozak Discussion Here

[FifthLine]

Wait, what?

lol Bozak has played maybe 1% of his total career ice-time outside of the 1st line, with Phil

Im aware. Im saying with his playing style, if we got a better centre or two, he could play from 1-3 and not be out of place. He could thrive in any of those roles.

 

[Durrr]

Only a homer who overvalues our players wouldn't consider that, it's at the very least a pretty even trade and possibly in our favour. Perron is two years younger, on a cheaper contract, has hit 50+ points twice and 20+ goals three times (to Bozak's zero on all counts), and is a really strong possession player. Career +20 to Bozak's -46. He's also nowhere near as soft a player as Bozak. The problem is it leaves a void at center, we'd basically be giving up on this season and probably also need to move a winger (Lupul) to make room for him.

I wasn't trying to take a shot at Perron's value, only the fact that it would be an awful trade for us. Were giving up our first line center (by default) who is actually putting up 1st line center minutes for the first time in his career for a winger. No way we can replace Bozak's impact on our center depth anytime soon.

Closest thing coming would be Nylander or Gauthier, and both could be 1-2 years away from their rookie seasons. Holland and Kadri are good but without Bozak our c depth is awful.

 

[KGL]

Agreed. He's really come into his own the past two seasons. The thing I love about him is that he is so versatile. You can play him from any line 1-3, PK, PP, Shootout specialist, and even drives our boy Kessel every where. jack of all trades kind of guy.

He cannot play any line. It has been proven that he does not produce without Kessel on his wing.

Only a homer who overvalues our players wouldn't consider that, it's at the very least a pretty even trade and possibly in our favour. Perron is two years younger, on a cheaper contract, has hit 50+ points twice and 20+ goals three times (to Bozak's zero on all counts), and is a really strong possession player. Career +20 to Bozak's -46. He's also nowhere near as soft a player as Bozak. The problem is it leaves a void at center, we'd basically be giving up on this season and probably also need to move a winger (Lupul) to make room for him.

I'd like to see a Perron for Bozak swap happen. I think we'd be okay at centre without Bozie, we'd still have Kadri/Holland/Santorelli/Komarov/Winnik who can all play centre. Regardless of that, I'd want Franson moved for a centre. Then we could run something like:

JVR-Kadri-Kessel
Lupul-Holland-Perron
Komarov-Santorelli-Clarkson
Winnik-???-Booth/Panik/Kozun

I think that looks pretty darn good.

 

[Semantics]

I wasn't trying to take a shot at Perron's value, only the fact that it would be an awful trade for us. Were giving up our first line center (by default) who is actually putting up 1st line center minutes for the first time in his career for a winger. No way we can replace Bozak's impact on our center depth anytime soon.

I'd say we have three centers who can pretty easily replace Bozak (except on shootouts). Santorelli and Kadri are both better 5v5 players, and I'm going to take a guess and say that on the #1 PP they could produce a bunch of points just like Bozak can. Holland has shown promise of late too, although he's been inconsistent.

I bet Komarov could also be effective as a center. Isn't that where he played in the KHL? He's well above 50% on faceoffs for his career too.

It definitely depletes our depth, but I just don't see Bozak as the irreplaceable player some seem to think he is.

Edit: I'd rather get something else for Bozak, though, like a 1st round pick, or a package involving at least a 2nd round pick. Trading for a winger just two years younger even if he's a slightly better player is just too much of a lateral move.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'd say we have three centers who can pretty easily replace Bozak (except on shootouts). Santorelli and Kadri are both better 5v5 players, and I'm going to take a guess and say that on the #1 PP they could produce a bunch of points just like Bozak can. Holland has shown promise of late too, although he's been inconsistent.

I bet Komarov could also be effective as a center. Isn't that where he played in the KHL? He's well above 50% on faceoffs for his career too.

It definitely depletes our depth, but I just don't see Bozak as the irreplaceable player some seem to think he is.

Edit: I'd rather get something else for Bozak, though, like a 1st round pick, or a package involving at least a 2nd round pick. Trading for a winger just two years younger even if he's a slightly better player is just too much of a lateral move.

You think Komarov can replace Bozak on face-offs? In what world? A Center that has won more draws than all Centers in the NHL except 2?

Further, Your quote 3 Centers can easily replace Bozak's 19 points needs to be challenged, when they are hovering at 9 points each. Santa playing the wing at 10. Good chuckles all around.

Since when is a dime a dozen winger in Perron better than a top 6 Center that produces, is a great cap hit, is one of the best face-off men in the league, who can also win games in shootouts.

Bozak just keeps proving his detractors wrong. Have to hand it to him, he lets his play do the talking.

The only way he is being moved is if this team is in a full rebuild of its core.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

Is Perron any good at RW? I thought he's a right-handed LW just like Lupul. Not exactly an area of great need on the roster if Lupul manages to stay healthy for once.

 

[Grant]

May 13, 2013, who wins us that game? Perron? Or Bozak. Bozak easily in my opinion. Just an overall much better player.

 

[KGL]

Is Perron any good at RW? I thought he's a right-handed LW just like Lupul. Not exactly an area of great need on the roster if Lupul manages to stay healthy for once.

I believe he's playing the RW right now for the Oilers.

 

[Durrr]

You think Komarov can replace Bozak on face-offs? In what world? A Center that has won more draws than all Centers in the NHL except 2?

Further, Your quote 3 Centers can easily replace Bozak's 19 points needs to be challenged, when they are hovering at 9 points each. Santa playing the wing at 10. Good chuckles all around.

Since when is a dime a dozen winger in Perron better than a top 6 Center that produces, is a great cap hit, is one of the best face-off men in the league, who can also win games in shootouts.

Bozak just keeps proving his detractors wrong. Have to hand it to him, he lets his play do the talking.

The only way he is being moved is if this team is in a full rebuild of its core.

Bozak is pretty critical right now but I can see him going far before the "core" is rebuilt. Bozak will probably lose his spot on this team in the next 2 years (and by spot I mean on the first line).

At there current development, Kadri and Holland alone make Bozak expendable before his contact is even in it's last year, and this doesn't factor Nylander making the jump to a top 6 C role (if it happens). Bozak will be 30 years old while our younger centers are just entering their actual prime, the best move would be to trade him for value if we don't think he can play a bottom 6 role effectively. In fact if this team somehow slips out of a playoff spot by a good margin by the TD I can see Franson, Bozak and Lupul being shipped out this season. Get top value for these players and retool in the offseason.

Anyways, that's just my opinion of course. As good as Bozak is playing right now offensively, his offense can be replaced by players we currently have in the system. You seem to think that the other centers aren't comparable to Bozak (who's points are a product of being on one of the top pp units in the league), yet Bozak has equal or less ES points then Holland, Komarov, Santorelli, Winnik AND Kadri. Bozak has 6 ES points (1g 5a), and only 2 of those assists are the 1st assist, equaling Holland, and below the rest.

 

[hockeygeek]

Is Perron any good at RW? I thought he's a right-handed LW just like Lupul. Not exactly an area of great need on the roster if Lupul manages to stay healthy for once.

Perron would be a good pickup for a team looking for a help on the wings. He's a real pest. Kind of like a Marchand. I would trade Bozak for him if we had more depth at centre. As it is I think we should be looking for help on defence esp with Polak out.

 

[Sonic Disturbance]

I'm open to trading Bozak while his value is high, but a small, skilled winger who is questionable defensively in Perron is not really something we need right now.

 

[The Blue Devil]

To think some bloggers spent an inordinate amount of time writing Grabovski at 5.5 was better than Bozak his 16 point, -10 year, another -10 in the playoffs seems hilarious now.

Bozak at 4.2 has separated himself so much from Mikhail, it isn't even a topic anymore.

Some of us were well ahead of the curve on this one.

I thought the shortened season didn't count though?

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Bozie isnt the typical 1C but he is our 1C and it thriving in the role.

Thanks Bozie. Keep up the great work.

 

[ULF_55]

Bozak has something like 12 career points 5-5 without Phil Kessel. Yes, you read that right, 12 points in 5+ seasons.

The guy is playing the best hockey of his career right now, but he is absolutely a product of Kessel.

That's interesting.

Where is the link to those stats?

It would be good to use for pool selections.

 

[Durrr]

That's interesting.

Where is the link to those stats?

It would be good to use for pool selections.

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/

Go to player stats and search up whichever player, then you can filter by as many years as you want. Besides this, Bozak's GA/60 rises significantly without Kessel, and his GF/20 falls quite a bit.

In the last 7 years, Bozak has 11 ES points without Kessel, 3 goals and 8 assists.

 

[mikebel111*]

Bozak was garbage for 10 games, before finally not being garbage. has played well last couple games though he needs to stop being hemmed in own zone. hopefully hits 50 points this season

 

[hockeygeek]

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/

Go to player stats and search up whichever player, then you can filter by as many years as you want. Besides this, Bozak's GA/60 rises significantly without Kessel, and his GF/20 falls quite a bit.

In the last 7 years, Bozak has 11 ES points without Kessel, 3 goals and 8 assists.

The one thing I noticed is lacking from Bozak's game is the ability to make plays. He's got some finishing touch but you never really see him feeding Kessel or JVR in goal scoring positions. These guys have to create their own chances

 

[hockeyfanz*]

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/

Go to player stats and search up whichever player, then you can filter by as many years as you want. Besides this, Bozak's GA/60 rises significantly without Kessel, and his GF/20 falls quite a bit.

In the last 7 years, Bozak has 11 ES points without Kessel, 3 goals and 8 assists.

That is remarkably bad. Like Rickard Wallin bad. I've never been a Bozak fan. Don't like him. But these numbers paint a picture far worse than I even ever imagined.

Trade him while he has value.

It also could mean that he hasn't played much without Kessel. Either way..this guy has been spoon-fed since he arrived on the scene. Pretty sure his numbers would plummet ala Matt Stajan if the Leafs ever did deal him.

 

[hockeygeek]

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/

Go to player stats and search up whichever player, then you can filter by as many years as you want. Besides this, Bozak's GA/60 rises significantly without Kessel, and his GF/20 falls quite a bit.

In the last 7 years, Bozak has 11 ES points without Kessel, 3 goals and 8 assists.

We should probably kill this thread before MacTavish sees this

 

[Durrr]

That is remarkably bad. Like Rickard Wallin bad. I've never been a Bozak fan. Don't like him. But these numbers paint a picture far worse than I even ever imagined.

Trade him while he has value.

It also could mean that he hasn't played much without Kessel. Either way..this guy has been spoon-fed since he arrived on the scene. Pretty sure his numbers would plummet ala Matt Stajan if the Leafs ever did deal him.

This stat includes roughly 700 minutes away from Kessel. 38/39 games @ 18 mins per game (which is generous imo, should be more like 16 ES minutes per game). 23 ES points when adjusted to 82 games.

 

[FifthLine]

He cannot play any line. It has been proven that he does not produce without Kessel on his wing.



I'd like to see a Perron for Bozak swap happen. I think we'd be okay at centre without Bozie, we'd still have Kadri/Holland/Santorelli/Komarov/Winnik who can all play centre. Regardless of that, I'd want Franson moved for a centre. Then we could run something like:

JVR-Kadri-Kessel
Lupul-Holland-Perron
Komarov-Santorelli-Clarkson
Winnik-???-Booth/Panik/Kozun

I think that looks pretty darn good.

LOL smh. What ever you say boss.

 

[Menzinger]

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/

Go to player stats and search up whichever player, then you can filter by as many years as you want. Besides this, Bozak's GA/60 rises significantly without Kessel, and his GF/20 falls quite a bit.

In the last 7 years, Bozak has 11 ES points without Kessel, 3 goals and 8 assists.

Jaw-droppingly shocking.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Using Bozak's numbers without Kessel is pointless. Theyve played together for Bozaks whole career save just a few games. Most of that time is certainly PK or just the time between when one hasn't managed to get off the ice yet at the end of a shift.

He also will be playing with Kessel for the foreseeable future so I don't get why it even matters. If we get a better #1 center we can worry about what to do with Bozak then.

 

[Purity*]

A notable fact to remember is that he's been glued to Kessel since he came into the league. When you've played for this long with a top offensive talent in the world, you tend to reap some benefits as far as numbers go. Even then, it took Bozak a really long time to start putting up respectable numbers. In 11-12, he was centering TWO point-per-game wingers and only finished with 47 points himself. There is definitely an argument for him being a product of Kessel when you look at his stats away from Kessel. He also gets very overrated defensively... it still irks me how Bozak's line always gets hemmed in their own zone.

 

[Peasy]

Do people not realize that really the only times he hasn't played with Kessel is when hes on the PK or out there in the last minute of a game lmao... Obviously those stats aren't going to be good...

So when Bozak doesn't put up points in previous seasons its because he sucks but when Kadri doesnt he gets every excuse ok