Check PHT each weekday for the first four weeks of June for a new pending unrestricted free agent of the day. Today’s UFA of the Day is…
Brian Boyle
It doesn’t sound like the big forward is going to be with the Rangers next season. Boyle said yesterday that he wants to make more of “an impact going forward,” that he wants to have “more responsibility.”
And an expanded role doesn’t seem to mesh with what the Rangers want from the 29-year-old.
Boyle scored a career-high 21 goals for the Rangers in 2010-11, but that was under John Tortorella, when the player averaged almost 16 minutes per contest.
Under Vigneault this season, Boyle scored just six time in 82 games, averaging 12:46 of ice time. He formed part of an effective fourth line for the Rangers in the playoffs, but “everyone obviously wants to score more goals,” he said.
Boyle’s expiring contract paid him $5.1 million over three years, for a cap hit of $1.7 million. He’ll likely be looking for a raise, which is another reason he may have to move on from the Rangers, who don’t have a ton of financial flexibility.
One of the biggest players in the NHL, Boyle finished the playoffs as the Rangers’ leading hitter (69) among forwards. He’ll fight on occasion, but he’s not an enforcer. He’s a decent faceoff guy, though, and he’s got a good sense of humor, according to former teammate Brandon Dubinsky.
“Boyle is a funny guy,” Dubinsky said last year. “He’s a character, a great guy, a great guy for the room and a good player, too. He was a good teammate to have.”