New Jersey Devils Free Agency Profile: Tyler Bozak
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils are officially in offseason mode. Over the next few days, we will look at 20 potential free agents they could look at signing. Today, we look at the Toronto Maple Leafs Tyler Bozak.
The New Jersey Devils have two major needs this offseason. One, a top-line defenseman to pair with Sami Vatanen. The other is a middle six forward who could take some of the scoring pressure off the first line. There are many options for the latter, but many of them come with serious questions. This one is no different.
Tyler Bozak is coming off his worst season since 2011. There were no injuries to explain the issues, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. His teammates should have helped his production.
It didn’t. Bozak only scored 11 goals in 81 games this season. Even in the lockout-shortened 2013 season, he scored 12 goals.
So what happened? Did Bozak just feel the pressure of his impending free agency? Could it be the extra pressure of playing for a contender?
It seems like Bozak’s point production may not be the only story. His goals above replacement was actually on the same plane as Nico Hischier‘s. He could be a nice option as second-line center, where Pavel Zacha is just not cutting it. However, the Devils would need him to get back to near 20 goals per season, and around 50 points to be worth what he’s likely to get paid.
Bozak is 32 years old. This is probably his last chance to get paid. I would imagine he’s going to the highest bidder.
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The center position isn’t very affluent on the market this season. There’s the star in John Tavares, then the backup plan in Paul Stastny. After that, one could argue Bozak is the best player on the market. That comes at a cost.
Bozak is coming off a five-year deal that paid him $4.2 million per season. That’s already a big price to pay for an 11 goal season, but based off past production he may be looking for more.
Bozak can’t make superstar money. For a player who’s never scored 30 goals in a season, his contract ceiling is not very high, especially for one as defensively inept as Bozak. The Devils should stay away. They need a second-line center, but the downside to a Bozak contract is not worth $4.5 million or more on a multi-year deal. The Devils would be better off hoping Zacha or Michael McLeod can figure themselves out and be productive second liners.