I'm personally of the belief that if Bozak was simply drafted he would be a fan favourite. He would be seen as a huge steal and would be a huge success story for the drafting department. We see all the praise these 7th rounders we draft get and the truth is its unlikely any of them have more career success than Bozak.
The Case for Tyler Bozak: All Tyler Bozak Discussion Here
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I'm personally of the belief that if Bozak was simply drafted he would be a fan favourite. He would be seen as a huge steal and would be a huge success story for the drafting department. We see all the praise these 7th rounders we draft get and the truth is its unlikely any of them have more career success than Bozak.
The simple truth is Bozak really isn't a good enough overall player to bring this team anywhere significant. He has had a successful career that is largely given to him by playing with his friend.
Fact is, he really isn't good enough to play where he does (outside of his insane FO ability). He has poor defensive stats (that surprisingly get worse away from Kessel, but this could be due to being out there when defending leads), he has piss poor offensive stats over his career, and yet he has been gifted a spot on the 1st line. Now, because he is scoring at a career high on the PP (yet still sucking 5-5), we are supposed to pretend he's actually a #1C? No thanks. Holland and Kadri would both probably be able to match his output if given the same opportunities, they are both better offensive players.
Needless to say, while this may seem contradictory to what I just said above, but he is a critical part of this team right now, largely because of how poorly this team is built. I highly doubt he comes anywhere close to 70 points, he isn't going to maintain ridiculously above career average pp production.
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There are 2 ways a player loses a spot in a lineup.
1. You play so poorly that you get moved.
2. Others play so well that they force the coach to give them a more important role.
Neither has happened in all of Bozaks years. Yes, other players could probably equal his production on the top line, but do people really think that the new player will improve the linemates over Bozak? Bozak has them producing in the top 10 in the league at their respective positions. This also let's us have a deeper lineup rather than putting all the eggs in one basket. Its a team game and Bozak on the top line gives us the best team with who we have. I don't think anyone is saying he is a bonafide #1 C but let's not kid ourselves in thinking Kadri or Holland are.
Lol Bozak has been outscored by 2/3rd line centers in almost (if not all) every season since he got here, and non of these players got to play with Kessel on the 1st pp. I agree that we need to have a balanced line up, but the fact is when the lines were switched up (and we needed to balance the lineup) it was his inability to play away from Kessel that ultimately resulted in us going back to a 1 line show.
As I said, Bozak is a critical part of the line up right now, but that's really no reason to praise the extended mediocrity we've had to put up with since he was brought in. In fact, I think allowing yourself to do so just extends it, because that's what he is, a mediocre top 6 C in his prime, playing with elite wingers.
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The Winter Soldier
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You are really being unrealistic for a player that is being paid as a support player. Bozak for his cap hit has been our best usage of cap dollars on this team. Period.
He has 19 points, has the 3rd most won faceoffs in the NHL, is a smart player that fits in with anyone he plays with. Including former linemates, Crabb, Lupul, or Kulemin. Not sure what your beef is with him, other than I lead our bet 19-9.
I agree with the fact that he is easily our best usage of cap dollars at the moment (besides maybe Franson or Rielly), and is playing well on the powerplay, but just because he is being paid as a support player doesn't change the fact that he is the 1st line center of this team (which is funny because you are much harder on other players who play lesser roles on this team). The last paragraph is a joke though lol, because all those players also had Kessel present. Bozak cannot fit with anyone he plays with, in fact he's pretty useless on offense without Kessel. As I said previously, he's played 700+ minutes without Kessel, and recorded 11 points ES. It would be more accurate to say he can play with any player, so long as Kessel is there as well.
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Have never been impressed with Bozak. Not one bit. Perhaps unfair but his game is uninspiring and pedestrian. He rarely does something that wows....like the SH goal vs. the Red Wings...that was all Bozak and a nice effort. Outside of shootouts (which should be and hopefully one day will be eradicated), he only has faceoffs. He is pretty much a faceoff specialist making 4.2M bucks. I don't think that is great usage of cap dollars.
Seriously, if Bozak goes down with injury..does anything change on the top line? I highly doubt it...they will slot in Kadri or even Santorelli, and I bet Kessel and JVR dont miss a beat. The PP doesn't miss a beat. The only possible outcome of a Bozak injury would be to really force Carlyle to play somebody else in the 1 C hole. Perhaps then and only then, Bozak will be exploited as nothing special.
Peasy
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He is not fully a faceoff specialist, because he is capable of at least producing 50ish points. Last year our center depth was decimated when he went down, hopefully this would be improved this season but who knows?
So you don't like him because hes not flashy basically
If by flashy you mean good. Yes.
Any center on the first line and first PP unit should be able to produce 50 points on this team other than maybe the 4th line center. Big whoop.
The Winter Soldier
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All Centers with points play with good wingers.
Not sure why Bozak is the exception to this rule, it's a tiring argument.
Should Getzlaf be given an asterisk because he has played with Perry his entire career?
Should Seguin's stats be asterisked because he plays with Benn?
I don't get it, Bozak is the only player that needs style points to be credited assists or his points don't count because the coach has deemed him the best Center to play with Kessel.
Ever think that Perry and Benn benefit from playing with Getzlaf and Seguin? Do you honestly think that Kessel/JVR depend on Bozak to put up points. Have you really seen that line play and watch who is driving that line?
Its NOT Tyler Bozak. Are you telling me if you slot in Ryan Getzlaf between Kessel and JVR, that the line pretty much produces the same? The Getzlaf scores 50ish points? Ditto for Tyler Seguin?
Where and when did these 700+ minutes of even strength time happen? Until well some of the games this season and obviously when he's out doing a defensive draw Kessel and Bozak haven't been separated. This 700 minutes doesn't really mean anything without any context. How much of this chunk of time is Bozak's first year?
If Bozak goes down with injury...we lose game 7s. We would have won that game if Bozak was playing. His faceoff winning ability was sorely missed in that game. We were 18/61 in that games, 30%.
The Winter Soldier
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Wow...thats incredible. Talk about reaching.
Phil Kessel's best year as a goal scorer (G/GP) came in his 3rd season with Marc Savard.
Everybody can agree that Kessel has become a much better hockey player since his arrival with the Leafs but somehow his goal scoring has stagnated. Never reached the levels of that 3rd season (36G in 70GP)
Oh boy...Can it be that Kessel would score a heck of a lot more if he had an NHL #1 center on his line?
It is a joke that Bozak is being compared to Getzlaf and Seguin.
Both have had at least one 20 goal seasons and have cracked 50 points. Plus Seguin is only 22 years old. What a JOKE
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=116079
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=62467
A barometer of how good a player is defined by not only his stats but how he makes other players better.
Bozak has hardly played away from Kessel and the time that he has played away from Kessel is indicative of Bozak's caliber as a player which is average 3rd liner.
Even this season when that first line was broken up Bozak's line was pretty much invisible and was stuck in their own end more often and finished shifts in the defensive zone more often with JVR and Clarkson on the wing; while Kessel and Kadri line had no problem with the zone exits.
Stop pumping bozak's tires. Bozak is nothing special
Both have had at least one 20 goal seasons and have cracked 50 points. Plus Seguin is only 22 years old. What a JOKE
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=116079
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=62467
A barometer of how good a player is defined by not only his stats but how he makes other players better.
Bozak has hardly played away from Kessel and the time that he has played away from Kessel is indicative of Bozak's caliber as a player which is average 3rd liner.
Even this season when that first line was broken up Bozak's line was pretty much invisible and was stuck in their own end more often and finished shifts in the defensive zone more often with JVR and Clarkson on the wing; while Kessel and Kadri line had no problem with the zone exits.
Stop pumping bozak's tires. Bozak is nothing special
The Blue Devil
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That's a pretty ignorant statement. If you've actually read some of the comments, most are annoyed at how he is heralded as some great 2-way force when in reality he's just as bad as the other 2 guys on his line. Yes, ye'll 'try' harder, but he still losses way too many puck battles which results in us getting hemmed in our own zone for long periods of time.
Well those are just the facts that we have, and since you don't have much to disagree other then your opinion, I'll stick with what we have. If you think Bozak has accumulated close to 700 minutes by taking even strength draws without kessel, then more power to ya, but no doubt some of these minutes are probably failed line juggles. 30-40 alone are from 3 games this season where Bozak was a complete non-factor without Kessel.
The Blue Devil
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The Blue Devil
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That's not really facts, yes 700 minutes sounds like a lot of time but it still needs context, I'd happily check myself but not sure how you can look at someones minutes without another player by season.
Since Bozak and Kessel have been on a line together, they almost always play together. Where did you get this data I'm more then willing to find it out myself.
The Winter Soldier
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You are right.
19 points in 21 games, 2 game winning goals, 5PP goals, 8 PP points, 57.7% Face offs is proving the point better.
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