The Case for Tyler Bozak: All Tyler Bozak Discussion Here

[Bullseye]

Let's face it - he's a very good centre - doesn't matter who you think is better or worse - the guy can play the freakin' game - consistent point producer and face-off guy. The only times he falters is when he's injured and tries to play through that - but all the so-called Leaf fans on here roast his ass for that.

Grass is greener complex alive and well in Toronto.

 

[TheCLAM]

A) I missed your response, I apologize. There is a LOT of posts in here and I'm on an iPhone.
Krejci is a 60-65 pt centre. Bozak is (so far) a 55 point center (and has looked better nearly every year). I never stated wasn't better, just again, not by this cavernous gap leaf fans seem to love applying liberally to arguments. Krejci is nowhere near an ideal 1c.

B) As for Kadri, it wasn't a shot at him, in fact, it was a shot at all of our good friends who seem to think this guy is never gonna improve.

I don't get why people don't believe you can be a fan of both?

Krejci is #1 IMO

He can contribute in all facets of the ice whether you put him in an offensive/defensive role. Again it's a completely subjective opinion when you value players.

Krejci may not be on the level of a Crosby/Malkin/Toews elite-esque center. I don't think you can take away his solid play-off performances. He steps up when the important games start to happen.

I think Bozak is generally under-rated based on his cap/contract. He get's flack for playing with Phil, but produces in other areas of the ice as well. The problem with Bozak is that he came relatively later to the NHL, and lacks experience that Krejci has gained. Both teams are polar different in success, so until the Leafs perform with Bozak he will not be viewed in the same-light. It's encouraging to see he's improving every year, however, Krejci you know what you are getting in a player.

It's no question considering all factors Krejci is the far better player.

 

[Durrr]

Yeah just like how its always Kadri's wingers fault for him not producing.


Lol wanna hear something funny? For Bozak getting harped on all the time about his production, even with his poor few season to start the NHL and Kadri playing less games and scoring 44 points in 48 games, Bozak STILL has a better career PPG. But I know, that has nothing to do with Bozak himself and its all because of the people around him.

Lol you cannot be serious? You're comparing a 30 goal (every year), PPG winger who is statistically proven to elevate almost everyone he plays with to the likes of Clarkson and Winnik (the linemates people were complaining about in regards to Kadri) AND 1st pp to 2nd pp over the length of their careers. Cool Beans Bro, great post.

 

[William Hylander]

I was not expecting Bozak to continue playing well above his career average, but he's been scoring at roughly a 70pt pace over gis last 2 seasons.

 

[Hockey Talker29]

Lol you cannot be serious? You're comparing a 30 goal, PPG winger to the likes of Clarkson and Winnik (the linemates people were complaining about in regards to Kadri) AND 1st pp to 2nd pp over the length of their careers. Cool Beans Bro, great post.

The funny thing is, Kadri has played exceptionally well with the other sets of wingers.

He's looked very good with all of JVR, Kessel, Komarov, Santorelli, and Panik.

Even with Winnik and Lupul, the possession was there, just not the points.

 

[Celly Hard]

Lol you cannot be serious? You're comparing a 30 goal (every year), PPG winger to the likes of Clarkson and Winnik (the linemates people were complaining about in regards to Kadri) AND 1st pp to 2nd pp over the length of their careers. Cool Beans Bro, great post.

some people just don't get it ..

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

I was not expecting Bozak to continue playing well above his career average, but he's been scoring at roughly a 70pt pace over gis last 2 seasons.

Small sample size! Blahhhh!!

 

[Durrr]

some people just don't get it ..

Me or him?

 

[Peasy]

Lol you cannot be serious? You're comparing a 30 goal (every year), PPG winger to the likes of Clarkson and Winnik (the linemates people were complaining about in regards to Kadri) AND 1st pp to 2nd pp over the length of their careers. Cool Beans Bro, great post.

All I hear is that Bozak can't produce points and how bad he is offensively yet he still has a higher PPG than our "offensive" centre. umad?

 

[Durrr]

All I hear is that Bozak can't produce points and how bad he is offensively yet he still has a higher PPG than our "offensive" centre. umad?

u12yearsold? He's playing on one of the best offensive first lines in the league, and a top PP unit. Bozak has never goten more points then his 2nd line center in his entire career (actual points, not ppg average). Could you post a less informed post? I doubt it.

Bozak should ALWAYS have more points then whoever plays behind him. Kessel has driven 2 wingers to the top of their games (one ppg, the other 30-30) and Bozak has never cracked 50 points OR 20 goals. The guy is playing amazing right now, but your points are just awful.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Though it would be foolish to compare Bozak to Krejci on career accomplishments as Krejci has a resume few Centers would compare to.

Both are comparable since Bozak has come into his own as a player. It would be hard to make a case against this, based on production.

Krejci
2013-14, 69 points, 82 games. .8414 PPG
2014-15, 10 points, 11 games. .9090 PPG

Bozak
2013-14, 49 points, 58 games, .8448 PPG
2014-15, 20 points, 22 games, .9090 PPG

Both play with productive wingers, Krejci is insulated by Bergeron. 1-2 one of the best 2 way Centers in hockey.

I don't think it's a bad comparison at all since Bozak upped his game.

Really liked how he stood up to Crosby last night, taking no lip. It's the evolution in a player, and how he made this play happen, intercept pass of Crosby, outraces Letang, and beats Fleury. Elite play.

Who says the Leafs cannot develop their own players?

 

[Bullseye]

Though it would be foolish to compare Bozak to Krejci on career accomplishments as Krejci has a resume few Centers would compare to.

Both are comparable since Bozak has come into his own as a player. It would be hard to make a case against this, based on production.

Krejci
2013-14, 69 points, 82 games. .8414 PPG
2014-15, 10 points, 11 games. .9090 PPG

Bozak
2013-14, 49 points, 58 games, .8448 PPG
2014-15, 20 points, 22 games, .9090 PPG

Both play with productive wingers, Krejci is insulated by Bergeron. 1-2 one of the best 2 way Centers in hockey.

I don't think it's a bad comparison at all since Bozak upped his game.

Really liked how he stood up to Crosby last night, taking no lip. It's the evolution in a player, and how he made this play happen, intercept pass of Crosby, outraces Letang, and beats Fleury. Elite play.

Who says the Leafs cannot develop their own players?

nice post bro

 

[The Apologist]

u12yearsold? He's playing on one of the best offensive first lines in the league, and a top PP unit. Bozak has never goten more points then his 2nd line center in his entire career (actual points, not ppg average). Could you post a less informed post? I doubt it.

Bozak should ALWAYS have more points then whoever plays behind him. Kessel has driven 2 wingers to the top of their games (one ppg, the other 30-30) and Bozak has never cracked 50 points OR 20 goals. The guy is playing amazing right now, but your points are just awful.

You can make all the excuses you want, the point is you need hella talent to be an NHL player, and even more to produce at a ppg pace, which Bozak has pretty much done over the course of the last 82 games.

Get over it

 

[The Apologist]

Though it would be foolish to compare Bozak to Krejci on career accomplishments as Krejci has a resume few Centers would compare to.

Both are comparable since Bozak has come into his own as a player. It would be hard to make a case against this, based on production.

Krejci
2013-14, 69 points, 82 games. .8414 PPG
2014-15, 10 points, 11 games. .9090 PPG

Bozak
2013-14, 49 points, 58 games, .8448 PPG
2014-15, 20 points, 22 games, .9090 PPG

Both play with productive wingers, Krejci is insulated by Bergeron. 1-2 one of the best 2 way Centers in hockey.

I don't think it's a bad comparison at all since Bozak upped his game.

Really liked how he stood up to Crosby last night, taking no lip. It's the evolution in a player, and how he made this play happen, intercept pass of Crosby, outraces Letang, and beats Fleury. Elite play.

Who says the Leafs cannot develop their own players?

Well said. I'll never understand why Leaf 'fans' struggle so much to give our own players any credit

 

[Durrr]

You can make all the excuses you want, the point is you need hella talent to be an NHL player, and even more to produce at a ppg pace, which Bozak has pretty much done over the course of the last 82 games.

Get over it

Get over what? Facts? Sure. I said the guy is playing great (which he is, and he's helping the Leafs win, why would this bother me?), doesn't change the fact that he's been a below average player prior to this or last season. Brining up how challenging it is to be an NHL player has little to nothing to do with this conversation.

 

[Purity*]

Though it would be foolish to compare Bozak to Krejci on career accomplishments as Krejci has a resume few Centers would compare to.

Both are comparable since Bozak has come into his own as a player. It would be hard to make a case against this, based on production.

Krejci
2013-14, 69 points, 82 games. .8414 PPG
2014-15, 10 points, 11 games. .9090 PPG

Bozak
2013-14, 49 points, 58 games, .8448 PPG
2014-15, 20 points, 22 games, .9090 PPG

Both play with productive wingers, Krejci is insulated by Bergeron. 1-2 one of the best 2 way Centers in hockey.

I don't think it's a bad comparison at all since Bozak upped his game.

Really liked how he stood up to Crosby last night, taking no lip. It's the evolution in a player, and how he made this play happen, intercept pass of Crosby, outraces Letang, and beats Fleury. Elite play.

Who says the Leafs cannot develop their own players?

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Well said. I'll never understand why Leaf 'fans' struggle so much to give our own players any credit

They give credit to players, but it always involves putting down another player. No one here knows how to compliment an achievement without degrading someone else.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

There's some big differences that you're overlooking here. First of all, Krecji has been doing 65+ points in this league for awhile now, he's very consistent with his production and is a big-game player.

Secondly, he has the opposite effect of Bozak. Looking at all the numbers (without bias of course) indicates that Krecji elevates his wingers (Lucic barely does anything offensively without him) and Bozak rides coattails (thank god he's actually doing something different this year, but those numbers without Kessel are really ugly). If you go purely on eye test (without bias of course) Krecji's playmaking/offensive skills are way better than Bozak's.

Comparable players? I highly doubt it, but alright.

Last 2 seasons their production is very comparable, the numbers are right there in the post you replied to. Highly doubt facts, yes.

Obviously Bozak has not scored 60 points yet, he was hurt for 20 games last year. There is no need to make up arguments. Lucic, Horton, and Iggy are bad wingers? Since when?

 

[Purity*]

Last 2 seasons their production is very comparable, the numbers are right there in the post you replied to. Highly doubt facts, yes.

Obviously Bozak has not scored 60 points yet, he was hurt for 20 games last year. There is no need to make up arguments. Lucic, Horton, and Iggy are bad wingers? Since when?

Calling their production similar is running purely on the assumption that Bozak kept pace last season. And I'm not sure how many times you need to hear this, but 22 games is NOT a year. Don't say "over the last 2 years," that's blatantly incorrect, you have to say "thus far this year."

Who's making up the arguments? And where did I say that Lucic, Hortan and Iggy are bad wingers? That's a strawman bro. They're good wingers made even better by Krejci (Lucic has terrible numbers without Krejci.

And remember, the Bruins are a structured, defensive team where everyone's offensive production "suffers" in that system. They are no high-flying team like the Leafs. And I also have no problem saying that Kessel and JVR are much better offensively than Lucic/Iggy/Horton, so there's a pretty big advantage production wise there when you take it all into account.


I just don't think Krejci is a good comparable for Bozak, as players. Krejci is a smooth-puck handling playmaker who drives the play and excellent at keeping possession who has some excellent passing/vision. Bozak is none of that.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Calling their production similar is running purely on the assumption that Bozak kept pace last season. And I'm not sure how many times you need to hear this, but 22 games is NOT a year. Don't say "over the last 2 years," that's blatantly incorrect, you have to say "thus far this year."

Who's making up the arguments? And where did I say that Lucic, Hortan and Iggy are bad wingers? That's a strawman bro. They're good wingers made even better by Krejci (Lucic has terrible numbers without Krejci.

And remember, the Bruins are a structured, defensive team where everyone's offensive production "suffers" in that system. They are no high-flying team like the Leafs. And I also have no problem saying that Kessel and JVR are much better offensively than Lucic/Iggy/Horton, so there's a pretty big advantage production wise there when you take it all into account.


I just don't think Krejci is a good comparable for Bozak, as players. Krejci is a smooth-puck handling playmaker who drives the play and excellent at keeping possession who has some excellent passing/vision. Bozak is none of that.

I was very clear in my post, the post was on Bozak's last 2 years since he has blossomed, so there is no assumption. There was no reference to career numbers. You are grasping at all things to discredit Bozak's last 2 years of play, a sample of 80 game and growing.

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

I feel like some fans really want Bozak to fail and Kadri to succeed, or vice versa.

I don't really get it. Our team doesn't have great center depth to begin with. Who cares who is the "better" player?

I personally think Bozak has played better this year, but I like Kadri. I hope he keeps playing like he did last night.

 

[Purity*]

I was very clear in my post, the post was on Bozak's last 2 years since he has blossomed, so there is no assumption. There was no reference to career numbers. You are grasping at all things to discredit Bozak's last 2 years of play, a sample of 80 game and growing.

1 year, not two. Man is that ever a hard thing to discern, isn't it. You'll have to wait until the end of this year to call it 2 years. One thing is for sure, he's not a good comparable with Krejci, those are 2 very different center.

I actually disagree, I've praised Bozak several times for his play this year and last year. He's elevated his play past being a product of Kessel. In 11-12 he scored a mere 47 points playing between two PPG wingers, I'm very glad to see he's evolved past that, especially since he's in his late 20's.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It never ceases to amaze me, now we are comparing stickhandling, wingers, team structure, to try to discredit a player that has come into his own.

I don't get it. A player that has been a career Leaf that was developed by us.

Inventing arguments, how do we know if Krejci would have done witout Bergeron or playing on a powerhouse team like Boston.

What we do know, without the strawman arguments is Bozak's PPG numbers the past 2 seasons, since Bozak has blossomed(I think we can all agree he has) are very similar.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

1 year, not two. Man is that ever a hard thing to discern, isn't it. You'll have to wait until the end of this year to call it 2 years. One thing is for sure, he's not a good comparable with Krejci, those are 2 very different center.

I actually disagree, I've praised Bozak several times for his play this year and last year. He's elevated his play past being a product of Kessel. In 11-12 he scored a mere 47 points playing between two PPG wingers, I'm very glad to see he's evolved past that, especially since he's in his late 20's.

His last 3 goals have had nothing to do with Kessel, and last year when Bozak was out, Kessel's production dropped sharply.

You want to see what Bozak can do over a 100 game sample, 200 game sample, 300 game sample before recognizing his progression as a player, let me know?

You want to bring up what Bozak did in his rookie year, you think he is the same player he is now as he was then? Honestly, is this what you are saying.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

I feel like some fans really want Bozak to fail and Kadri to succeed, or vice versa.

I don't really get it. Our team doesn't have great center depth to begin with. Who cares who is the "better" player?

I personally think Bozak has played better this year, but I like Kadri. I hope he keeps playing like he did last night.

Uh that's not allowed. You must pick one. Only one centre can succeed....it's a rule.