Tyler Bozak: So maybe he's not 1C. But maybe he's 1A-C?

[ontariojames]

He would've been on pace for around 55 points had he been on pace for a full 82 games, and that's playing with two ppg players,I don't know why you would consider that a legitimate number 1 centre.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

He would've been on pace for around 55 points had he been on pace for a full 82 games, and that's playing with two ppg players,I don't know why you would consider that a legitimate number 1 centre.

Thankfully, nobody here is.

 

[ZBBM]

I would chalk up Bozak's signing as one of Burke's best moves.  People laughed when it was claimed that getting him was like getting a free first-rounder.  Well, there are plenty of first-rounders who never make it at all in the league and Bozak has done that ... and as I've argued is still improving.  Would he not be considered one of the best of the recent college FA signings?

Undrafted scoring race 2011-12
Martin St Louis (age 36) 59 Pts (NCAA signed 1998)
David Desharnais (age 25) 47 (QMJHL signed 2008)
Teddy Purcell (age 26) 47 Pts (NCAA/USHL signed 2007)
Chris Kunitz (age 32) 44 Pts (NCAA signed 2003)
Alexandre Burrows (age 30) 41 Pts (QMJHL signed 2003)
Matt Read (age 25) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2011)
Rich Peverley (age 29) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2007)
Tyler Bozak (age 25) 37Pts (NCAA signed 2009)
Pascal Dupuis (age 32) 37Pts (QMJHL signed 2000)

UFA Goalies
Hiller Switz signed 2007
Backstrom Finland signed 2006
Niemi Finland signed 2008

Not sure about UFA dmen beyond none are scoring more this season.

So I guess between Bozak & Read, they may be the best young UFA signings since 2009 unless there's a dman I overlooked.

Bozak is the sixth highest scoring undrafted NCAA player in the league this year.

As it appears Grabovski was worth a first round pick, I'd say with Bozak's contract and contract staus, he'd be worth pretty close to a 2nd round pick on the current trade market.

I would think Bozak would have to be regarded as one of the best recent NCAA UFA signings.

cw = Prototype for Wikipedia.

Thanks for that.

 

[Bender]

I would chalk up Bozak's signing as one of Burke's best moves.  People laughed when it was claimed that getting him was like getting a free first-rounder.  Well, there are plenty of first-rounders who never make it at all in the league and Bozak has done that ... and as I've argued is still improving.  Would he not be considered one of the best of the recent college FA signings?

Undrafted scoring race 2011-12
Martin St Louis (age 36) 59 Pts (NCAA signed 1998)
David Desharnais (age 25) 47 (QMJHL signed 2008)
Teddy Purcell (age 26) 47 Pts (NCAA/USHL signed 2007)
Chris Kunitz (age 32) 44 Pts (NCAA signed 2003)
Alexandre Burrows (age 30) 41 Pts (QMJHL signed 2003)
Matt Read (age 25) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2011)
Rich Peverley (age 29) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2007)
Tyler Bozak (age 25) 37Pts (NCAA signed 2009)
Pascal Dupuis (age 32) 37Pts (QMJHL signed 2000)

UFA Goalies
Hiller Switz signed 2007
Backstrom Finland signed 2006
Niemi Finland signed 2008

Not sure about UFA dmen beyond none are scoring more this season.

So I guess between Bozak & Read, they may be the best young UFA signings since 2009 unless there's a dman I overlooked.

Bozak is the sixth highest scoring undrafted NCAA player in the league this year.

As it appears Grabovski was worth a first round pick, I'd say with Bozak's contract and contract staus, he'd be worth pretty close to a 2nd round pick on the current trade market.

I would think Bozak would have to be regarded as one of the best recent NCAA UFA signings.

Don't disagree with you CW but do you feel like he has a place on this team going forward? He's clearly not a 1C and the 2C is locked already. Could he fit into the 3C slot?

 

[Corn Flake]

The best part of that thread is the Spezza vs Bozak discussions...

They must have been drunk.

I think we all were!

Boy oh boy can't think of many examples of a coach/system turning a player around like Spezza has this year.

 

[cw]

I would chalk up Bozak's signing as one of Burke's best moves.  People laughed when it was claimed that getting him was like getting a free first-rounder.  Well, there are plenty of first-rounders who never make it at all in the league and Bozak has done that ... and as I've argued is still improving.  Would he not be considered one of the best of the recent college FA signings?

Undrafted scoring race 2011-12
Martin St Louis (age 36) 59 Pts (NCAA signed 1998)
David Desharnais (age 25) 47 (QMJHL signed 2008)
Teddy Purcell (age 26) 47 Pts (NCAA/USHL signed 2007)
Chris Kunitz (age 32) 44 Pts (NCAA signed 2003)
Alexandre Burrows (age 30) 41 Pts (QMJHL signed 2003)
Matt Read (age 25) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2011)
Rich Peverley (age 29) 38 Pts (NCAA signed 2007)
Tyler Bozak (age 25) 37Pts (NCAA signed 2009)
Pascal Dupuis (age 32) 37Pts (QMJHL signed 2000)

UFA Goalies
Hiller Switz signed 2007
Backstrom Finland signed 2006
Niemi Finland signed 2008

Not sure about UFA dmen beyond none are scoring more this season.

So I guess between Bozak & Read, they may be the best young UFA signings since 2009 unless there's a dman I overlooked.

Bozak is the sixth highest scoring undrafted NCAA player in the league this year.

As it appears Grabovski was worth a first round pick, I'd say with Bozak's contract and contract staus, he'd be worth pretty close to a 2nd round pick on the current trade market.

I would think Bozak would have to be regarded as one of the best recent NCAA UFA signings.

Don't disagree with you CW but do you feel like he has a place on this team going forward? He's clearly not a 1C and the 2C is locked already. Could he fit into the 3C slot?

I'm not sure. I'm a little concerned he could go Stajan's route. I thought Matt had some promise as a checking center (with a concern for his lack of physical strength) because of his defensive smarts. Due to a lack of centers, the Leafs tried to turn him into a scoring center. I think his longer term development suffered. It's a different role and it might take some time for Bozak to develop into that role/checking mindset.

I think Tyler has a longer way to go defensively than Stajan. But the 3rd line role in the NHL has changed some where teams tend to want more offence from that position - a 3rd scoring line. So Tyler might work out there because he does have better scoring skills in my opinion. He also showed some promised as a Pker with his faceoff ability and his chemistry with Armstrong. I'd need to see more of that before I could be sure he'd work out.

 

[Madferret]

The best part of that thread is the Spezza vs Bozak discussions...

They must have been drunk.

I think we all were!

Boy oh boy can't think of many examples of a coach/system turning a player around like Spezza has this year.

I'm just thankful I attended that rally ;]

 

[Mike1]

Stajan is a pretty fair comparision. A guy out of his depth, playing more than he should & the minute he gets separated from Kessel/Lupul his offense will go completely down the tubes, like Stajans did in Calgary.

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

I actually really like Bozak. He's not the biggest or strongest guy, but I think he's the smartest forward on the team, which is why he's versatile enough to fill in as a C on any line.

 

[ZBBM]

I think the Stajan comparisons are off somewhat.  I well remember how Stajan was tagged Bambi his first couple of seasons.  Bozak is no powerhouse, not built to be one, but I think he has the potential to attain Stajan's level of defense (and we'll see how that goes under Carlyle!) and has more upside offensively than Matty IMO.

 

[Kin]

I think the Stajan comparisons are off somewhat.  I well remember how Stajan was tagged Bambi his first couple of seasons.  Bozak is no powerhouse, not built to be one, but I think he has the potential to attain Stajan's level of defense (and we'll see how that goes under Carlyle!) and has more upside offensively than Matty IMO.

Maybe some but not a ton. Stajan was pretty decent offensively his last two years here and his point totals are pretty respectable if you factor in who he was playing with.

 

[ZBBM]

I think the Stajan comparisons are off somewhat.  I well remember how Stajan was tagged Bambi his first couple of seasons.  Bozak is no powerhouse, not built to be one, but I think he has the potential to attain Stajan's level of defense (and we'll see how that goes under Carlyle!) and has more upside offensively than Matty IMO.

Maybe some but not a ton. Stajan was pretty decent offensively his last two years here and his point totals are pretty respectable if you factor in who he was playing with.

Probably so.

In his first or second year with the Leafs I remember there was some talk on here (fleeting IIRC, but still) that Stajan had some captaincy potential as a good defensive forward.  I don't think people went overboard and thought he was Selke material, but maybe there was some of that too.  But it I don't think anybody thought he was going to put up big numbers.

I am also post hoc'ing a bit here because of Stajan's meltdown in CGY, which makes Bozak look potentially better in comparison.

 

[Kin]

But it I don't think anybody thought he was going to put up big numbers.

That's probably true but I think the same is probably true for Bozak. Stajan, when he left, was a 55-60 point a year guy playing on the top line and I say top as opposed to #1 because there was nothing about that line that deserve to be confused with a good line. Right now Bozak is playing at a 55 point pace playing on a pretty good top line.

Does Bozak have capacity for growth from that? Yeah, if you told me in a couple years he was up at 25 goals and 65 points or so I'd say that sounded realistic. Much more than that? Eh, I don't see it so much.

 

[ZBBM]

But it I don't think anybody thought he was going to put up big numbers.

That's probably true but I think the same is probably true for Bozak. Stajan, when he left, was a 55-60 point a year guy playing on the top line and I say top as opposed to #1 because there was nothing about that line that deserve to be confused with a good line. Right now Bozak is playing at a 55 point pace playing on a pretty good top line.

Does Bozak have capacity for growth from that? Yeah, if you told me in a couple years he was up at 25 goals and 65 points or so I'd say that sounded realistic. Much more than that? Eh, I don't see it so much.

True, but even 10 extra points is signficant in a parity league like we've got.  Especially in the Mediocre East.