(left) Tyler Bozak's contract could reach $4 million per seaon if all the performance bonuses are reachedFrom: Toronto Globe & Mail
by Tim Wharnsby
The Toronto Maple Leafs have swung and missed often with plenty of their personnel moves since their last Stanley Cup celebration 42 years ago, but they are batting two for three against the competition this spring.
The Leafs yesterday beat out more than 25 teams to sign coveted University of Denver forward Tyler Bozak to a two-year entry-level contract that, if all the performance bonuses are reached, could be worth just under $4-million (U.S.).
Bozak, a 23-year-old centre from Regina, primarily selected Toronto because the Leafs' situation provided him with an opportunity to jump into a top-six forward role right away. But he also wanted to play in a strong hockey market, preferably in Canada, and he favored a move to the East because of the lesser demands of travel.
Toronto general manager Brian Burke believes Bozak has the potential to be a No. 1 centre in the NHL. He will practice with the Leafs, but won't play in the NHL this season because the Leafs don't want to burn a year of his contract.
Denver coach George Gwozdecky emphasized the completeness of Bozak's game.
"Tyler is a dynamic, quick skater," his coach said. "He also has an aggressive streak and isn't afraid to take people on. He's also very good in his own end. He doesn't need to be taught the defensive side of the game. He has a blue-collar mentality, but he is dynamic."
Gwozdecky also coached Colorado Avalanche center Paul Statsny and was asked to compare him with Bozak. "In some ways they're similar and in some ways they're different," he said. "No player is exactly the same. I think Paul is more of a playmaker, and Tyler is more of a finisher."
Gwozdecky admired the way Bozak handled the spotlight this season. He could have easily rushed into the pro ranks last spring but decided to stay an extra season. On the advice of his agent, Wade Arnott, Bozak set up guidelines for interested NHL teams that he would only meet with after Saturday home games and that the visits would stop in mid-January, when Denver's season hit the stretch run.
Patience has been a virtue for Bozak, whose father Mitch was a hockey coach.
9 comments:
Please explain how you know that this contract from a Non-drafted player could be worth 4 million? Even the top first round picks get like 875,000.00 per year for 2yrs with "maybe" another 1 million per year in bonuses. Thats like 3.5million. I find it hard to believe that he would get 1st round pick money.
Several newspapers in Canada are reporting the $4 million contract including the Globe & Mail. NHL salaries aren't a secret, they're available on the players association website.
Bozak got the extreme maximum salary & bonuses because the teams bidding on him wanted him so badly.
I agree, Bozak is an awesome player. And is deserving of a good NHL contract. Let's get real though, he's no Jonathan Toews or T.J Oshie.
v/r
Mick Chambers
Toews & Oshie both make $850,000 per year, the max. Bozak makes the same amount but his bonuses may be higher or easier to attain.
FWIW, Matt Carle makes $2,900,000 this year and Stastny makes, $710,000 but I think his big contact kicks in next year.
Bozak never attained the status of Toews or Oshie simply because he didn't play enough games in college. He played a season and a half. Had he not been injured, however, he almost certainly would have been a strong POY candidate in the WCHA and all-American.
Will he make a similar splash in the NHL as the two players aforementioned? Only time will tell. Both of those players are having stellar careers. But I would argue in terms of being a "complete" player, Bozak rivals anyone to come out of the WCHA in recent years. He does everything well and most importantly, similar to Paul Stasny, makes everyone around him better. I would not be at all surprised to see him make an immediate impact with the Leafs.
goddard,
There is no way for you to know at this point that Bozak is making 850,000.00 per year. That is not even published yet. His contract may be "bonus" heavy and "base" lite. Please don't state facts that you dont know. If you know he's making 850, please state your source.
Um, will this do?
"His deal is equivalent to that of the first-overall pick in the draft," Bozak's agent Wade Arnott said. "He's getting the maximum you can negotiate under the entry level system."
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/tor090405.html
Sounds like Toronto is desperate. 1st round money for a player who has played 1 1/2 ncaa seasons. He's a great player, but his durability is certainly a question mark. Hopefully all goes well for Mr. Bozak. Oh, and one more thing...How come when all these ncaa players go pro the papers always say that the deals of the agreement are not disclosed... then you have this Bozak deal and the media and the agent have it plastered all over the papers? Just seems kind of strange.
Maybe the NHL teams can't release the info, but the player or the agent can.
Certainly this was one of the most masterfully orchestrated contract negotiations in history.
25 teams downs to 5 teams, down to 2 teams, whoops three late players jumped in, down to 2 teams. We have a winner. :-)
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