Bozak returns to Toronto for first time as a Blue

594.
That's how many times Tyler Bozak suited up for the Maple Leafs over the course of nine seasons in Toronto.

When he first showed up, he was a 23-year-old undrafted college free agent who had played two seasons at the University of Denver. As a Maple Leaf, he developed into a consistent, reliable, two-way center that posted 365 points (136 goals, 229 assists) in the regular season and another 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 18 playoff games.
So it wasn't exactly easy when Bozak left Toronto for a three-year, $15 million deal with the St. Louis Blues on July 1. At the time, he was the longest-tenured player on the Maple Leafs' roster.
"When you're in a place long enough, you get a feeling for how things work. I knew this day was coming," Bozak said of leaving Toronto in an
article for The Players' Tribune in July
. "At first, it wasn't easy to accept that Toronto was moving on, because the city means so much to me. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't as excited as I've ever been in my career right now…. St. Louis was a perfect fit."
On Saturday, Bozak will step onto the ice at Scotiabank Arena - formerly Air Canada Centre - for the first time in his NHL career as a member of the visiting team.

"It's going to be a little weird, I think. I've never done it before, and I don't really know what to expect or anything," Bozak told stlouisblues.com. "But I'm excited to get this game over with and put it behind me. It will be fun to see some familiar faces at the rink and the people I spent a lot of time with.
"I came here as a young guy and left with a family, so I essentially grew up here I guess you could say," he added. "I just look back on the good friendships I made, a lot of good teammates I was able to play with and still keep in touch with to this day, so I definitely made some good memories here."
As a Blue, Bozak has played six games - including reaching the 600 games played milestone on Wednesday night - and even recorded his first goal as a Blue just five days ago. For most of the regular season, Bozak has been paired on a line with Alexander Steen, which has made for one of the team's most consistent lines this season.
"It's been awesome. Nothing but good things to say about the guys," Bozak said of fitting in with the Blues. "I think everyone gets along great and we're just finding that chemistry right now. We have a ton of skill in this room and a really good team, so we're going to put it together here."
Bozak's family will be in town for Saturday's game in Toronto, and Blues Head Coach Mike Yeo said he hopes it will be a memorable one for the Bozaks.
"When you have a team that cares about each other, and that's what we want here, you recognize it's an important game for him," Yeo said. "It's going to mean a lot for him, so let's do everything we can to make it a great night for him."
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