Tyler Bozak
Encyclopedia
Tyler Bozak is a Canadian ice hockey
centre
currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). Bozak has also played for the Toronto Marlies
of the American Hockey League
. Prior to being signed by the Maple Leafs as a free agent
, Bozak had played two seasons with the University of Denver Pioneers
of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA).
(BCHL) for the Victoria Salsa (later known as the Victoria Grizzlies) in the 2004–05 season. He spent three seasons in the BCHL with the Victoria franchise. In his final season, Bozak recorded 128 points (45 goals and 83 assists), and was awarded the Brett Hull
Trophy as the league's Top Scorer.
On December 11, 2006, the University of Denver Pioneers
announced that Bozak had signed a letter of intent
to play hockey for the school. He joined the Pioneers for the 2007–08 season. During his freshman year with the club, Bozak played in all 41 games and led the team in scoring with 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists). He was second in the country with five shorthanded goals. During the season, Bozak was named the Red Baron Western Collegiate Hockey Association
(WCHA) Rookie of the Week four times and was named the Hockey Commissioner's Association (HCA) Rookie of the Month for December. At the end of the season, Bozak was named to the All-WCHA third team and to the All-WCHA Rookie Team.
Heading into his sophomore season with the Pioneers, Bozak was named to the College Hockey News Preseason All-America Team. On December 12, he tore the meniscus
in his left knee in a game against Minnesota State, and this caused him to miss more than half of the Pioneers season. After the season, Bozak was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team.
on April 3, 2009. Exact financial details of the contract were not released, but it has been rumoured to be worth close to $4 million per season if all performance bonuses are reached. Bozak did not suit up for the Leafs at the end of the 2008–09 season, instead taking the time to further rehabilitate his injured knee.
Bozak attended the Maple Leafs training camp prior to the 2009–10 season. He had a strong training camp, but because of salary cap
concerns, he was sent down to the Leafs American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate Toronto Marlies
. Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson admitted that Bozak had a strong camp, "He'll probably have to go down because of numbers. Based on the way he played in training camp, he's certainly worthy of playing in the NHL, but we may not have room at the beginning." Bozak was called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 13, 2009, and made his NHL debut the same night against the Colorado Avalanche
. During this game, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by Francois Beauchemin
. After playing one game, Bozak was returned to the AHL's Marlies on October 15, 2009. Bozak was called up by the Maple Leafs again on January 12, 2010. On January 14, 2010, Bozak scored his first NHL goal against the Philadelphia Flyers
. Bozak had his first career 2 goal game on January 1st 2011 against the Ottawa Senators as part of a 5-1 win. Bozak agreed to terms on a 2 year contract extension with the Maple Leafs on July 5 2011.
in Regina
, Saskatchewan
. While in high school, he volunteered for the Raise A Reader program and was on the honour roll all three years. While at the University of Denver, Bozak majored in Business.
In Toronto during the summer, Bozak initially shared a townhouse with fellow collegians and NHL rookies Viktor Stalberg
and Christian Hanson
. Hanson later moved out, but Bozak still shared a place with Stalberg until Viktor was traded to Chicago for Kris Versteeg
. He is currently rooming with Luca Caputi
.
He is a Ukrainian-Canadian.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Bozak has also played for the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. Prior to being signed by the Maple Leafs as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, Bozak had played two seasons with the University of Denver Pioneers
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA).
Amateur
Bozak started playing in the British Columbia Hockey LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
(BCHL) for the Victoria Salsa (later known as the Victoria Grizzlies) in the 2004–05 season. He spent three seasons in the BCHL with the Victoria franchise. In his final season, Bozak recorded 128 points (45 goals and 83 assists), and was awarded the Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
Trophy as the league's Top Scorer.
On December 11, 2006, the University of Denver Pioneers
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
announced that Bozak had signed a letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
to play hockey for the school. He joined the Pioneers for the 2007–08 season. During his freshman year with the club, Bozak played in all 41 games and led the team in scoring with 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists). He was second in the country with five shorthanded goals. During the season, Bozak was named the Red Baron Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
(WCHA) Rookie of the Week four times and was named the Hockey Commissioner's Association (HCA) Rookie of the Month for December. At the end of the season, Bozak was named to the All-WCHA third team and to the All-WCHA Rookie Team.
Heading into his sophomore season with the Pioneers, Bozak was named to the College Hockey News Preseason All-America Team. On December 12, he tore the meniscus
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...
in his left knee in a game against Minnesota State, and this caused him to miss more than half of the Pioneers season. After the season, Bozak was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team.
Professional
After his sophomore season, Bozak was a heavily pursued free agent. He signed a two-year, entry level contract with the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on April 3, 2009. Exact financial details of the contract were not released, but it has been rumoured to be worth close to $4 million per season if all performance bonuses are reached. Bozak did not suit up for the Leafs at the end of the 2008–09 season, instead taking the time to further rehabilitate his injured knee.
Bozak attended the Maple Leafs training camp prior to the 2009–10 season. He had a strong training camp, but because of salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
concerns, he was sent down to the Leafs American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
. Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson admitted that Bozak had a strong camp, "He'll probably have to go down because of numbers. Based on the way he played in training camp, he's certainly worthy of playing in the NHL, but we may not have room at the beginning." Bozak was called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 13, 2009, and made his NHL debut the same night against the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. During this game, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by Francois Beauchemin
François Beauchemin
François Beauchemin is a French Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently a member of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League, his second tenure with the organization.-Playing career:...
. After playing one game, Bozak was returned to the AHL's Marlies on October 15, 2009. Bozak was called up by the Maple Leafs again on January 12, 2010. On January 14, 2010, Bozak scored his first NHL goal against the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Bozak had his first career 2 goal game on January 1st 2011 against the Ottawa Senators as part of a 5-1 win. Bozak agreed to terms on a 2 year contract extension with the Maple Leafs on July 5 2011.
Personal life
His parents are Mitch and Karon, and he has one older brother, Justin. He graduated from Sheldon-Williams CollegiateSheldon-Williams Collegiate
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate is a high school situated in the Lakeview neighbourhood of south Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. It opened in 1956, and is named after Catherine Sheldon-Williams, a British immigrant and teacher who was a member of the Regina Public School Division.Sheldon offers a...
in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. While in high school, he volunteered for the Raise A Reader program and was on the honour roll all three years. While at the University of Denver, Bozak majored in Business.
In Toronto during the summer, Bozak initially shared a townhouse with fellow collegians and NHL rookies Viktor Stalberg
Viktor Stålberg
Viktor Stålberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger, currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Amateur:...
and Christian Hanson
Christian Hanson (ice hockey)
Christian David Hanson is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Washington Capitals. Prior to playing for the Capitals, Hanson played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and in the American Hockey League for the Toronto Marlies. He played amateur hockey for the University...
. Hanson later moved out, but Bozak still shared a place with Stalberg until Viktor was traded to Chicago for Kris Versteeg
Kris Versteeg
Kris Versteeg is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
. He is currently rooming with Luca Caputi
Luca Caputi
Gianluca Caputi is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . Luca grew up in Maple, Ontario, a suburban community northor the same team for four seasons, even after the Mississauga IceDogs moved and became the Niagara...
.
He is a Ukrainian-Canadian.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... | A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... | Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Regina Pat Canadians | SHA Saskatchewan Hockey Association The Saskatchewan Hockey Association is the governing body of all ice hockey in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Saskatchewan Hockey Association is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Leagues:*Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Tier II Junior "A"... |
42 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Victoria Salsa | BCHL British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior... |
55 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Victoria Salsa | BCHL | 56 | 31 | 38 | 69 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Victoria Grizzlies Victoria Grizzlies The Victoria Grizzlies are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at Bear Mountain Arena.... |
BCHL | 59 | 45 | 83 | 128 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | University of Denver Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey The University of Denver Men's Hockey Program has been playing NCAA Division I hockey since 1949. Pioneer Hockey is one of the most successful hockey programs in the history of collegiate hockey. The Pioneers rank second in all-time NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships with 7. Only the University... |
NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... |
41 | 18 | 16 | 34 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | University of Denver | NCAA | 19 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Toronto Marlies Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
32 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
37 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 119 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Junior
| Award | Date |
|---|---|
| Brett Hull Brett Hull Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The... Trophy as BCHL Top Scorer |
2006–07 season |
NCAA
| Award | Date |
|---|---|
| Red Baron WCHA Rookie of the Week | November 6, 2007 December 18, 2007 January 2, 2008 February 12, 2008 |
| HCA Rookie of the Month | December 2007 |
| All-WCHA Third Team | 2007–08 |
| All-WCHA Rookie Team | 2007–08 |
| All-WCHA Academic Team | 2008–09 |