The rumours are out, the Pittsburgh Penguins are rumoured to be interested in Tyler Bozak.
Tyler Bozak of the Toronto Maple Leafs is rumoured to be an expendable asset and the Pittsburgh Penguins can be a suitor for him. At 31, he can be a solid choice for our currently vacant third line centre role. So let’s take a look at how he can fit into the Penguins roster.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Toronto’s Lineup Logjam
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a youth movement going on and every team in the league knows it. Auston Matthews is set as their number one centre. With Nazem Kadri and perhaps William Nylander down the middle too, Tyler Bozak’s spot is already gone. On top of that, the Leafs have prospects waiting in line for their shot too.
The Leafs may not need Tyler Bozak now. He’s been with them for a very long time, but it may be the end of his tenure. The Leafs are starting something new, and it doesn’t look like he fits there.
What Can He Bring?
Like I said, Tyler Bozak has been with the Toronto Maple Leafs for a very long time. In fact, he is the longest-serving current player on the Leafs roster. He’s been with them since the 2009-10 season and he has become an established leader on a very young team. At 31 years old, this leadership quality is always an asset that can come in handy.
Bozak is also still a consistent player. He set a career high in points this last season, putting up 55 points in 78 games for Toronto. He can easily slot into the Penguins third line centre role, and in fact, he may be a decent upgrade to Nick Bonino.
At a cap hit of $4.2 million dollars a year, Bozak could be an affordable option. If a trade could be worked out, he may be our best bet.