Friday, July 18, 2014

Bozon Returns To Game Action

From NHL.com

Montreal Canadiens prospect Tim Bozon is returning to competitive hockey more than four months after spending four weeks in a Saskatchewan hospital while battling a severe form of meningitis.

A 2012 third-round pick (No. 64) of the Canadiens, Bozon will play for France at an Under-23 tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic that begins July 31.

Bozon, 20, was playing for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League when he was diagnosed with Neisseria Meningitis on March 1 after a 4-2 win against the Saskatoon Blades. He was taken to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, and spent part of his time there in a medically-induced coma to reduce swelling around his brain.

Since being released from the hospital March 28 Bozon has been working his way back to health. He has been working with Canadiens training staff and began skating June 5. He recently sent a message on Twitter expressing his excitement at playing again.

Bozon, the son of former NHL player Philippe Bozon, was born in St. Louis but grew up playing hockey in Switzerland before coming to North America. He also has French citizenship through his father, who was born in France.

Joining France in the tournament are Dukla Jihlava, a top-division Czech club, plus club teams from Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

In 203 WHL games with the Ice and Kamloops Blazers, Bozon has 105 goals and 231 points.