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Maple Leafs re-sign Tyler Bozak to discount two-year, $1.95M deal

Tyler Bozak, Martin Brodeur

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Tyler Bozak, right, scores a short-handed goal against New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, in Newark, N.J. The Devils defeated the Maple Leafs 4-2. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

AP

For quite some time, it was easy for Toronto Maple Leafs fans to dislike Tyler Bozak. Fair or not, his $3.725 million salary cap hit brought some heavy expectations for the young forward and he failed to satisfy the rabid Leafs fan base. Sure, there were some who made some logical arguments in defense of his play, but that price tag and misplaced expectations kept staring many playoff-starved fans in the face.

It should be easier for Leafs fans to cut Bozak some slack after Tuesday, though. The right-handed center signed a two-year, $1.95 million deal to remain in Toronto. That takes his cap hit to under $1 million per year ($975K to be exact), an eyebrow-raising drop from that previous $3.725 million mark. The Bozak deal completes a nice day of work for Leafs GM Brian Burke, who gave Clarke MacArthur a healthy raise but limited his risk by making it a two-year contract as well.

Perhaps such a nice day of signings should keep Steve Simmons and other Toronto media types from criticizing Burke for his work schedule?

Bozak scored 32 points in 2010-11 and 27 in 09-10. The 25-year-old center won’t be the kind of player who will make or break the Maple Leafs’ hopes of finally ending their playoff curse, but if the team makes enough solid decisions like these, they have a nice shot. We’ll take a look at the Maple Leafs’ work during the off-season later on this week.

Note: thanks to Crash the Crease and Tyler Schocks for clarification regarding Bozak’s contract.