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Bozak's Future

I brought this up in the GDT, but thought the question might warrant a separate discussion.

During the first intermission, the Sportsnet panel was discussing something that I haven't really thought about yet this year: what should the Leafs do with Bozak, as a pending UFA? What ballpark do you think he'll command salary wise to re-sign with the Leafs? Can the Leafs afford that price with Grabo making $5.5M?

...or do you sign him and look to shop Grabovski at the deadline or in the off-season?

McLean and Kypreos seem to think he'd fetch something in the $4-5.5M range, which makes me cringe a little. But on the flip side, he *is* getting first line minutes. Not producing at a first line rate, mind you. But there's the faceoffs...

I'd be interested to hear what folks think though...would you trade him? Keep him? For how much?
 
If he can get that kind of money on the open market then best of luck to him and I hope he enjoys Calgary.
 
Potvin29 said:
No one should be giving him that money.
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I completely agree. But what I think is value or at the very least, a fair price in this league seems to be a lot lower than other GMs are happy to give out. Like Deebo said, something like $2.75M would be great...$3M I could live with...but $4 or 5M is a killer.

On the flip side, if that *is* the type of money he's looking for (and the Leafs know this going into the trade deadline) is putting him up to the highest bidder a good bet? What kind of return could one expect for him (I'll admit, I don't know what could be expected...)
 
Omallley said:
On the flip side, if that *is* the type of money he's looking for (and the Leafs know this going into the trade deadline) is putting him up to the highest bidder a good bet?
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Honestly, I don't think so. I know that the general thinking right now is that anytime that you lose a player to free agency it's an opportunity wasted to flip him for an asset but I think in this case unless the Leafs have a back-up plan in place that you don't want to risk making the playoffs or, if we're dreaming big, even making some noise in the playoffs. If he left for that money, sure, you might look back and think he could have been flipped for a pick/prospect or whatever but I think the team needs a successful season so badly that it's a price they'd be willing to pay.
 
Omallley said:
On the flip side, if that *is* the type of money he's looking for (and the Leafs know this going into the trade deadline) is putting him up to the highest bidder a good bet? What kind of return could one expect for him (I'll admit, I don't know what could be expected...)
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Unless there's better centre coming back at the deadline, no. He could end up asking for too much coin and walking in the summer, but, he's still too important a piece of the team right now to move. Unless the Leafs absolutely collapse before the trade deadline, he stays.

That being said, if he is moved, as I brought up in another thread earlier in the season, I think you have to look at someone like Gaustad and what he returned for Buffalo as a comparable.
 
Omallley said:
Potvin29 said:
No one should be giving him that money.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. But what I think is value or at the very least, a fair price in this league seems to be a lot lower than other GMs are happy to give out. Like Deebo said, something like $2.75M would be great...$3M I could live with...but $4 or 5M is a killer.

On the flip side, if that *is* the type of money he's looking for (and the Leafs know this going into the trade deadline) is putting him up to the highest bidder a good bet? What kind of return could one expect for him (I'll admit, I don't know what could be expected...)
Click to expand...

I should have added that I don't think another team will give him that much $$ either.  With the cap going down, the fact his numbers are underwhelming despite playing 1st line minutes, and being 27 (i.e. not likely much upside left), I just can't see a team giving him that much money.
 
It should also probably be noted that these are the same talking heads that, a couple seasons ago, suggested it would take a $4M per season deal to get Gustavsson to re-sign.
 
bustaheims said:
It should also probably be noted that these are the same talking heads that, a couple seasons ago, suggested it would take a $4M per season deal to get Gustavsson to re-sign.
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That was ridiculous.
 
Bozak will re-sign for no more than $3.5 I predict, just because things are starting to turn around.  And -- people often forget this -- a guy of his stature can make vastly more in endorsements, public appearances, etc. as a Leaf than he would anywhere else.  His effective salary in TO will be much higher than anyplace else.  Call it the Adulation Multiplier.
 
bustaheims said:
It should also probably be noted that these are the same talking heads that, a couple seasons ago, suggested it would take a $4M per season deal to get Gustavsson to re-sign.
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Yeah, that was completely ridiculous. Kypreos and McLean don't have a great track record when it comes to these things, do they? But for me, I know where I'd like to see Bozak, and I also know that I tend to be on the low side of salaries, which leaves the possibility that Calgary or some other ass backwards organization would be willing to pay O'Reilly/Grabovski/name-your-centreman money to him.

 
Is Bozak still best buddies with Kessel?  I wonder if Bozak's future either in Toronto or away from Toronto will have any impact on Kessel's.
 
Heroic Shrimp said:
Is Bozak still best buddies with Kessel?  I wonder if Bozak's future either in Toronto or away from Toronto will have any impact on Kessel's.
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It'd probably make the Kessel negotiations a little easier.

Feel free to merge these threads btw...

http://www.tmlfans.ca/community/index.php?topic=1401.0

I think whoever said MacArthur type money is pretty much spot on, unless he has an agent whispering in his ear about the windfall being a UFA will net him.
 
Calgary paid Stajan 3.5M.  I think signing him for less than that isn't happening, whether you think he's worth it or not.  I would think with his faceoff prowess he's regarded much higher than Stajan was as well.

Personally I have a bad feeling about letting him go.  He's only in his 4th season right now, and he has kept getting better. 

On the other hand you could say he has hit a plateau as he is on a lower pace than last year. Then that could be blamed on the Kessel slump and Lupul injuries. After that you could also counter that he had two of the hottest wingers last year and couldn't crack 50pts.  Then finally we get to the replacement problem.  Is Kadri ready?  If not who fills the top line? If so is someone ready to fill the hole in the 3rd line? 

It's a tough call.  It would be easier if the team was losing: ship him out.  Right now it's hard to mess with things too much so we may end up with nothing if no extension is signed.  Bit of a waste of a decent college free agent pick-up if that happens in the end.
 
pnjunction said:
Calgary paid Stajan 3.5M.  I think signing him for less than that isn't happening, whether you think he's worth it or not.  I would think with his faceoff prowess he's regarded much higher than Stajan was as well.
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But Stajan's outscored him, or at least when he got the contract he had seasons of 55 pts in 76 games and 57 in 82.  Bozak has topped out so far with 47 pts in 73 games, and his 82 game pace this season is less than that.  I don't think face-offs are worth that much.
 
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