He’s been through the demolition, the firesale, and the 18 wheeler falling off of a cliff. He’s been through the many downs with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the past few years. With the “Shanaplan” underway, the 30-year-old center is ready to take the club through the new phase of the rebuild. As the Leafs move forward, one question remains: what will Tyler Bozak‘s role be with the team?
A free-agent signing out of college in 2009, Bozak has grown with the team ever since. He was thrust onto the first-line by default and was usually sandwiched between Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk, or Phil Kessel with whom he created a special friendship, as seen on the HBO: 24/7 series.
He carries 267 points in 435 games, but is often the focus of criticism due to the fact that he usually plays with first-line players who make him look inadequate by comparison. As the front office began to ship out a plethora of players, many pundits were calling for Bozak to leave as well, arguing his effectiveness came as a byproduct of playing with Kessel.
They were wrong, though. Bozak has plenty to offer.
Bozak Brings Valuable Veteran Leadership to the Maple Leafs
The 2015-16 NHL season serves as an example of what Bozak can offer to the organization. He gives the front office a good problem. For the first time in his career, he wore the “A” on his jersey. Fittingly, he assumes the valuable veteran role within the team and the letter on his sweater is a way for management to show the kids who to look up to.
Not only is Bozak amongst the longest-tenured members of the squad, he has been through the good and bad swings of the organization. He knows what to expect from all surrounding facets of the team and city.
As the Leafs are much younger and lacking experience, Bozak fills a vital role in the middle of the ice – a position that the team has been in dire need of for nearly a decade. With the arrival of Auston Matthews and the resurgence of Nazem Kadri, the Leafs have solid centre depth for the first time in awhile, and Bozak can still be an important player.
Bozak has the ability to slot in and contribute in any of the top three centre spots, as he is not far removed from a 68-takeaway season in 2014-15 to go along with three 45+ point seasons. His best use may be on the second line, although his time beside Kessel on the top line allows him to be useful as a scorer as well. His main focus will be insulating the young players, and more specifically, sheltering Matthews as he gets going in the NHL. Bozak also allows William Nylander to shift to the wing for more creativity and less defensive responsibility in the short term.
Babcock just told us Matthews will start the season as 3rd Centre behind Kadri & Bozak. And points out that Nylander will be on the wing.
— Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN) June 25, 2016
His reliable play is one of the factors for being in coach Mike Babcock‘s good books.
Bozak Provides Versatility in the Lineup
Is he a superstar? No. Is he even the best player on his team? Also, no.
What Bozak does provide, however, is versatility and dependability. He provides good defensive acumen and is more than able to contribute on the scoresheet as well. He is effective on the power play and is also a decent penalty-killer.
Bozak leads the team in faceoff percentage over the past two seasons, improving under Babcock with a team-leading 56.4 percent. He also leads in 5-on-5 defensive zone faceoff wins with 58.8 percent and likewise in the offensive zone with 57.8 percent. On the power play he tends to hover in the 60 percent area as well. Numbers such as those are crucial for the game-changing moments that propel teams to victories. To put these numbers into perspective, Jonathan Toews led the league in faceoff percentage with 58.8. Bozak, meanwhile, comes in at number ten.
The first season under Babcock saw Bozak’s ice time drop down from an average of around 20 minutes per game to just over 17 minutes. With less top line duties and a variety of roles, he was essentially able to do more by doing less.
Aside from his solid, sound performances, Bozak offers good depth options for the team. His best role is either in the number two or three centre slots. He allows for the movement of others to slide ahead or behind him yet still be a contributing factor.
No matter what, more flexibility and options are always helpful.
For the Leafs, Money Isn’t an Issue
Bozak’s reasonable $4.2 million cap hit isn’t an issue for the Maple Leafs, as it comes off the books following the 2017-18 season.
Of course, the front office would prefer if that number was lower, but considering what position the Leafs are in and what Bozak brings to the table, it won’t hamper any part of the process for the team.
He is a safe bet to contribute anywhere from 30 to 50 points in a full season, which is a respectable number, considering his role in the team. Some other similar contract figures for centres signed near the same age as Bozak are Brandon Sutter, Craig Smith, Mike Fisher, Matthieu Perreault, Artem Anisimov, to name a few.
After the upcoming season, the Leafs will have great cap space, barring any other trades. Bozak’s money won’t dent the club. He will be in his early 30’s by the end of his contract which could realistically spell the end of his tenure in Toronto. As the younger crop of players will be looking for contracts after their entry level deals, some room will have to be made.
A likely scenario is that Bozak is traded to a contending team. In all likelihood, teams will be asking about his services around playoff time. What he brings in versatility, dependability, and leadership is always valued highly at the trade deadline.
What’s Next for Bozak?
Prior to the 2015-16 season, pundits and fans concluded that he would be heartbroken by the departure of his dear friend Kessel and thus wither away. Instead, he’s quietly dispelled his critics.
While he is by no means untouchable, he brings value to the team in more than one way. Although he likely isn’t in the team’s long term plans, Bozak shouldn’t be overlooked too easily. As a good professional on and off the ice, the team will rely on Bozak to help usher in the next generation of Maple Leafs.
After all, anyone around the organization will tell you what it’s all about: the future.
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