Have the Toronto Maple Leafs reached desperation? Since last summer, when Leafs GM Brian Burke merely mentioned the word “playoffs,” fans have taken his meaning completely out of context and are now reeling against the GM for his lies and lack of results; not to mention his team’s awful play this season. Phil Kessel, acquired from Boston for three draft picks (two firsts and a second), has struggled, and in a Burke-esque move, the Leafs have called up forward Tyler Bozak from the Toronto Marlies AHL team to center the first line.

On Jan. 11, Bozak made the transition from the Ricoh Coliseum to the Air Canada Centre down the street for a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was immediately thrown on the first line with Kessel and Nikolai Kulemin, hoping that some young blood would be able to re-ignite the hot start Kessel had when he first arrived in Toronto last November. Not only has Bozak shown some exceptional skills, he’s also managed to make an impact on the scoresheet. In his five games so far, he’s scored one goal – his first in the NHL – and set up three others.

Bozak is the latest piece of the plan in the Leafs’ movement to get younger. Other college free agent signings have included Christian Hanson and Viktor Stalberg, but neither has made their presence felt in the same way as Bozak, who, if he can keep up this play, may find himself branded a top six forward on a team that can hardly claim to have any others in that category.

Bozak, a 23-year old rookie, was signed by the Leafs to an entry-level contract on Apr. 3, 2009. He went undrafted, but several teams sought him before he decided on Toronto. He played at the University of Denver prior to signing, and his game has come a long way for a guy who fell through the draft. Now that he’s an unexpected first-line NHLer, the Leafs are hoping that he’s the next step on the road to recovery.