Columnist image

TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

| Archive

TORONTO – It was the middle of the night last Friday when Tyler Bozak woke with a violent urge to vomit.

The Maple Leafs centre had contracted a vicious bout of food poisoning on the eve of Toronto’s final game of their Western Canada road trip against the Vancouver Canucks. After spending the wee hours of Saturday morning being repeatedly ill, Bozak sat out the game – but still had to join his teammates for a “not great” four-and-a-half hour flight home.

Bozak wasn't healthy enough for Monday’s practice, but returned Tuesday to try and shake off the lingering effects of a tough 72 hours. 

“[Energy’s] not great, not going to lie,” Bozak said following the 40-minute workout. “Whenever that happens for a few days you’re not going to feel great right off the bat. I feel a lot better now. It’s just nice to get out on the ice and do some activity.”

With Bozak absent Monday, head coach Mike Babcock unveiled an intriguing new possibility for his lineup: William Nylander at centre. Nylander had only shuffled from the wing to the middle as placeholder at a couple morning skates so far this season. Babcock said last April he wasn’t moving Nylander to centre this season, but like the Leafs’ five-year “Shanaplan,” Babcock’s intentions are subject to change – perhaps as soon as Wednesday’s game against Calgary.

“I told Willy to make sure he’s ready to play centre if we need him to play centre if Bozie isn’t up to it,” Babcock said. “Otherwise we’ll keep working on it with Willy down low in practice so when it’s time he can jump in and play centre.”

The centre position has been a bit of a revolving door for the Leafs all season long. Patrick Marleau played significant minutes there in November, either filling in for an injured Auston Matthews or bumping Dominic Moore out of the lineup. But Babcock has long said he wants Marleau on the wing, and expediting Nylander’s transition would reflect that.

Bozak would like to delay that by getting back to work Wednesday, and ideally score a few points when he does. Now in his eighth full season with the Leafs, Bozak’s first 27 games have produced just four goals and seven assists. Among regular Leafs forwards, only Matt Martin and Leo Komarov have fewer points.

Tied to his low totals is a declining faceoff win percentage, which has long been one of Bozak’s strongest skills. Currently he’s winning 50.5 per cent of his draws, down from 56.7 per cent at the end of last season, and only 48.9 per cent of draws in the offensive zone.

“The new [faceoff] rules haven’t helped him as much but we need him to get back to that form, being a dominant faceoff guy. He gets a lot of offence in the o-zone out of that,” said Babcock. “The first thing you do is you own [your struggles], which he’s done and that’s fantastic. The second thing you do if you get to work. It’s not luck; it just turns [when you work]. That’s the way it is.”

Bozak's last 12 games have been particularly fruitless, with no goals and just three assists. While admitting he’s not happy with his play, Bozak has focused more on the team’s success than wallowing in his own frustrations.

“It’s a long season. There are ups and downs,” he said. “You’re going to have stretches where everything goes in for you and where everything doesn’t. This one has gone on a little longer than they have in the past, but you can have one good month and get right back in it so I’m not too worried about it.”

Since his regular line with James van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner was split up in late October for poor defensive play (they were on the ice for eight of Toronto’s first 12 even-strength goals against), Bozak has centred several wingers while moving between the third and fourth line. Babcock reunited the trio in mid-November and over the Leafs’ last games (nine of which they’ve started together), the Bozak line has only been on the ice for one 5-on-5 goal against.

“For the most part, it’s been going pretty good here,” said van Riemsdyk. “There was some unfortunate stuff earlier in the year and obviously we have to be accountable for that. But we’ve been creating scoring chances and controlling play. We’ve been a bit snake-bit in the offensive end this season, but we’re confident that stuff evens itself out.”

Van Riemsdyk is tied for the Leafs’ lead in goals (12) and sits tied for third in points (20), while Marner has had his own offensive struggles, with just two goals and 14 assists on the season. Marner has gotten used to the questions about his line’s play (and his own), and takes a page from his veteran counterparts in accepting responsibility while remaining optimistic.

“I think all three of us haven’t been happy with ourselves,” he said. “The thing is it’s still early and there’s a lot of time to get our game back on track. I think we had it going there for a little bit. We just have to get back to [where we] relax and have fun with each other. That’s when we’re at our best.”