Bozak missed practice this morning to return home for personal reasons. He is expected to meet the team in Ottawa for tomorrow’s contest vs. the Senators. Bozak will not skate with Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk.
The Maple Leafs will be without Bozak and his linemate Phil Kessel tonight as both battle lower-body injuries. He should be back in-time for the Maple Leafs' regular season opener, so don't panic if you drafted Bozak.
Bozak was back on the ice on Saturday and was centering the top line with James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel. Bozak has missed the last 12 games but is almost certainly in the lineup tomorrow vs. Carolina. Bozak has four goals and 11 points in 16 games.
Bozak will miss at least another four games, but monitor his status prior to the December 29 meeting with the Hurricanes.
Bozak is not eligible to return from long-term injured reserve until after Christmas, but it is a positive sign that he is back on the ice this morning.
An MRI revealed a strained oblique that will keep Bozak out for an "extended period of time". The Maple Leafs recalled Jerry D'Amigo and Josh Leivo today and Nazem Kadri will replace Bozak on the top-line.
Head coach Randy Carlyle said that Bozak will be out for "an extended period of time". This is a tough break for the Leafs who's injury woes continue. He has already missed a month this season with a hamstring injury.
It is not really surprising that he is not on the ice after just suffering the injury last night. The Leafs will release a full injury update on Bozak in the next couple of days after he is re-evaluated. He already missed a month with a hamstring issue earlier this season.
Coach Randy Carlyle didn't know the severity of Bozak's injury. Bozak left the bench and went down the tunnel early in the second period, returned to play a handful of shifts and then did play in the third. "When he went back out, he tried it. It wasn't able to go," Carlyle said. "That was probably about the 12-minute mark of the second period, so for half the game almost we were short. We had three centres. We're taxing a lot of people here right now." The Leafs were already without centre Dave Bolland (severed tendon in ankle), winger Joffrey Lupul (groin) and defenceman Cody Franson (lower body).
Tonight will mark exactly one month since Bozak last played. Bozak said he wanted to play on Saturday but the doctors would not clear him. He will skate on the top-line with Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk and centre the top power-play unit. He has three goals and three assists in 11 games before getting hurt.
Bozak is skating on the top line with Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk which is a good sign he will be back in the lineup tonight vs. Columbus. We will get an official word from the Maple Leafs following the morning skate.
Bozak sits out his 12th straight game tonight, but is nearing a return. He wanted to play tonight, but team doctors decided it would be best that he does not. Monitor his status as Monday's contest vs. Columbus approaches.
Bozak has not taken a single line rush in practice this morning which suggests he will sit out his 12th consecutive game. We will get confirmation from Bozak or coach Randy Carlyle after the morning skate.
Bozak has missed the last 11 games, but could return tomorrow. His presence has been greatly missed as the Maple Leafs have had used some patchwork lineups in recent games with injuries to Bozak and Dave Bolland along with a suspension to fellow centreman Nazem Kadri. If Bozak plays, he is expected to jump right back on the first line with James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel. Monitor his status following Saturday's morning skate.
Bozak is not quite ready to return to the Maple Leafs lineup tonight. "It's a little sore still," Bozak said. He is hoping to be in the lineup on Saturday vs. Washington. Toronto sent Carter Ashton back to the AHL this morning, so they will not need to make a roster move when Bozak is ready.
Keep an eye on Bozak on Thursday, but if he is saying he is not going to be ready, he probably won't play.
Bozak skated on his own and stayed on with the Maple Leafs this morning. Monitor his status as Thursday approaches.
Bozak continues to work his way back from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since October 25. Bozak is expected to join the Leafs at practice at some point this week, but he is still probably a week away from returning to the lineup.
in nine days the Maple Leafs play the Blue Jackets and two days later they take on the Penguins, he will likely return in one of those contests. Toronto is really thin up the middle right now, so Bozak's return is highly anticipated.
Bozak didn't join the Leafs for practice but getting back on the ice is a good sign. He is eligible to return to return to the lineup next Tuesday vs. the Islanders. Bozak will have to rejoin the Leafs at practice over the weekend if he is going to play on Tuesday.
