Steve Bozek is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for nine seasons. Bozek was born on March 26, 1961, in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. He began his hockey career playing for the Kelowna Buckaroos of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL) in the late 1970s.
Bozek was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Kings during the 1982-83 season and played with the team for three seasons. Bozek was known for his speed and scoring ability, and he scored 30 goals in his second season with the Kings.
In 1986, Bozek was traded to the Calgary Flames, where he played for two seasons. He was a member of the Flames team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1986, but they lost to the Montreal Canadiens. Bozek was then traded to the St. Louis Blues in 1988, where he played for one season before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks.
Bozek played for the Canucks for two seasons before being traded to the New Jersey Devils in 1991. He played in only 12 games with the Devils before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he finished his NHL career during the 1991-92 season.
In total, Bozek played in 519 NHL games, scoring 147 goals and 160 assists for 307 points. He also played in 52 playoff games, scoring 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points.
After retiring from professional hockey, Bozek became a coach and worked with various teams in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He also worked as a scout for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.
Bozek's son, Tyler, also became a professional hockey player and played in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers.
Overall, Steve Bozek had a successful NHL career, playing for five different teams and scoring over 300 points. He was known for his speed and scoring ability and was a valuable member of the teams he played for.
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