Toronto Maple Leafs: Tyler Bozak Ready to Return to Action
By Paul Taylor
Tyler Bozak has returned to practice for the Toronto Maple Leafs and spoke to the media afterwards, to discuss when he expects to get back on the ice for his first game.
With the youngsters playing well recently for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tyler Bozak has been almost an afterthought. In fact, at one point it didn’t even seem like he would still be here, with the front office offloading many of their senior players, ahead of the trade deadline.
Regardless, the centre is still around and, as reported by Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, eager to return to action after being cleared for contact. He was back on the ice for practice on Wednesday, and spoke to Hornby and the rest of the media afterwards, about when he expects to suit up for a game.
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Bozak said: “I want to play (against the Florida Panthers), but that’s not in the cards. I’m going to skate hard for three or four days and see where I’m at. I’ll definitely play before the season ends.”
The main thing holding the 29-year old back at this stage, is his lack of fitness. In theory, he could return against the Calgary Flames next Monday, but realistically, it will be at least another week before he is ready to go.
Understandably, Mike Babcock is going to take a cautious approach with Bozak, who has been out since sustaining a concussion in early February. In truth, there is absolutely no need to rush him back at this stage.
Speaking to Hornby and the rest of the press, Babcock said: “It’s just nice to see him around the guys. That should give him energy.”
In that respect, the Regina, Saskatchewan native has been as excited as everyone, by what the team has been doing lately: “We’ve got a good thing going now, a lot of good young guys,and there’ll be another draft this year.
“It’s time to be excited. Things are going in the right direction.”
Despite the Leafs overall struggles this season, Bozak was enjoying a fine individual season before his concussion, as one of the few regular players who didn’t have a negative +/-. In fact, if you pro-rated his statistics over the course of a full campaign, he would have set a new single-season high for assists and overall points.
Overall though, the Leafs alternate captain can’t wait to see how he fares with the youngsters on the team: “”It has been fun to watch, especially the last bit, when they got comfortable and used to the system…Hopefully, I can get back and play with some of them.”
Next: 5 Leafs defencemen aiming to make an impact next season
Are you eager for Tyler Bozak to return to action, or in no rush to see him back on the ice? Do you view him as part of the long-term future in Toronto, or would you prefer to trade him? Let us know in the comments section below.