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Vegas Golden Knights Should Target Tyler Bozak In Free Agency

By Richard Cardinale

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 12: Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak (42) skates before Game 1 of the First Round for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 12, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 12: Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak (42) skates before Game 1 of the First Round for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 12, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated the Maple Leafs 5-1. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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If the Vegas Golden Knights decide to go with a cheaper option in free agency, Tyler Bozak is their guy.

The unrestricted free agency period is less than two weeks away, and the Vegas Golden Knights should be big players. If fellow forwards such as James Neal, David Perron, and Ryan Reaves don’t come back, the team will have a couple of voids in the lineup. General Manager George McPhee will have to be very careful about how to handle this situation.

He knows the team’s primary needs are at defense and the center positions. The names we all keep hearing about are Erik Karlsson, John Carlson, and John Tavares. But what about a couple of the unheralded guys that are out there potentially looking for a new team?

Afterall, when the Golden Knights filled their roster with a bunch of misfits and unsung heroes, that’s when they were at their best. So acquiring a couple of players through free agency who are affordable and want to win, could be their best option. And Tyler Bozak would benefit in a big way if he came to Vegas to play for the Golden Knights.

Bozak is a two-way center and plays a hard-working game along the walls. Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant could easily implement him into the Golden Knights transition offense. Bozak is the type of a player that screams Golden Knights.

The Regina, Saskatchewan native has good offensive instincts and could fit in the Golden Knights top-nine forward group easily. During the 2017-18 campaign, he played in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs; he scored 11 goals, 32 assists, and 43 points. He even chipped in offensively during his series against the Boston Bruins where he registered two goals, two assists and four points in seven games.

However, the main reason why the Golden Knights should bring in Bozak is for his faceoff ability and defensive awareness. Vegas lost many critical draws down the stretch against Washington in the Stanley Cup Final, and it was one of the biggest reasons why they fell short of their goal. And adding a player like Bozak to their already potent offensive group could be a crucial move for the Golden Knights.

The 32-year old had faceoff percentages of 56.4% in 2015-16 and 56.7% in 2016-17, which is great in today’s NHL. Although, that number dipped a bit in 2017-18 where he won 53.6% of draws. Still good, but that number could decline even more from year to year, so Vegas needs to stay cautious on the potential term of Bozak’s contract.

I would go no more than three years on a deal for Bozak. Bozak plays in all situations and can be extremely useful if one of the Golden Knights centers go down with an injury. However, Vegas can’t spend all of their money on a single player like Bozak.

Next: Vegas Golden Knights Release 2018 Preseason Schedule

Overall, the Vegas Golden Knights should gun for Tyler Bozak if he reaches unrestricted free agency, but only at the right price.  Bozak could be one of the pieces needed to make a serious run at a championship.

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