After ten seasons in the NHL, ex Toronto Maple Leafs centre Tyler Bozak is now officially a Stanley Cup Champion.
In game seven of the 2018/2019 Stanley Cup Final, the St. Louis Blues and three former Toronto Maple Leafs players defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 to claim their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Icing three former Leafs in the starting St. Louis Blues roster, all of Leafs Nation stood behind Alex Steen, Carl Gunnarsson, and of course; Tyler Bozak in their quest to claim the Stanley Cup.
Congrats to Bozak!
Taking A Risk
A college free agent out of the University Of Denver, the Toronto Maple Leafs took their chances and signed the forward in 2009. College free agents in the NHL have always been a gamble, and there have only been a select few players who have been able to play out successful careers in the NHL.
After playing thirty-two games with the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate the Toronto Marlies, Bozak was rewarded with thirty-seven regular season games on the big club during the 2009/2010 season. He tallied a respectable eight goals, nineteen assists, for twenty-seven points. For a college rookie free-agent, the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed to have struck gold with their gamble signing.
I Need You Now
During the 2010/2011 NHL regular season, Bozak was given the role of a number one centre, and he handled it as well as he could for the better part of six years while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.
Through his tenure in Toronto, Bozak wasn’t always the best option for stellar defensive play or key situations on the ice to close out a game. Bozak has always been a high hockey IQ player, with a playmaking skill-set in the offensive zone that highlighted his importance to a team who at the time, was so desperately in need of top line production.
Flowzak Is Born
During the 2012/2013 lockout shortened season, Bozak appeared in fourty-six games for the Maple Leafs and scored twelve goals, fourteen assists for twenty-eight points on route to the Maple Leafs first playoff appearance in nine seasons. The Maple Leafs would eventually fall in the first round at the hands of the Boston Bruins in seven games.
It was during that very season Tyler earned his nickname “Flowzak”. A bet made during the summer of 2012 with a college friend to see who could go the longest without a trim, Tyler grew his hair out that entire season and thus Flowzak was born. The Flowzak era would eventually come to an end the next season, but the Flowzak flow still lives on in the hearts of Toronto Maple Leafs fans around the world.
A Bitter End
After playing nine seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bozak elected to explore free agency in 2018 and signed a three year contract worth $15M ($5M AAV) with the St Louis Blues per CapFriendly.
After the emergence of Auston Matthews in 2016, Bozak was given more of a depth scoring role on the Maple Leafs. Despite playing in a depth role during his latter years as a Leaf, Bozak’s playoff performances have always stood out. In just eighteen career playoff games with the Maple Leafs, Bozak has five goals and five assists for ten points, including an OT winning goal against the Washington Capitals in 2016.
I Told You So
Tyler Bozak wanted to win the Stanley Cup…..badly, and he made sure everyone knew that in his Players’ Tribune article “For Toronto“.
"I want to win a Cup. So damn bad.That’s why I signed in St. Louis. There’s your headline. Print it. – Tyler Bozak"
Bozak played in all twenty-six playoff games for the St. Louis Blues, scoring five goals, eight assists, thirteen points, and two game winning goals.
Although Bozak wears a different blue jersey today, he will always be remembered for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Say it with me Leafs Nation: Tyler Bozak is a Stanley Cup Champion!