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Boyle: ‘There’s going to be some pressure’ joining Rangers

Los Angeles Kings v San Jose Sharks - Game Five

SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 26: Dan Boyle #22 of the San Jose Sharks during a break in play against the Los Angeles Kings in Game Five of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 26, 2014 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images)

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When the New York Rangers signed defenseman Dan Boyle to a two-year deal, they’re hoping he can do for them what he did with the San Jose Sharks. They want Boyle to create chances from the blue line, generate offense, and quarterback a power play that’s been in desperate need of a guy to do that for a while.

No big deal, right? Boyle knows he’s going to need to get it done in New York as Steve Zipay of Newsday shared.

“There’s going to be some pressure, I know,’' said Boyle, who had six goals and 18 points with the man-advantage in what he termed a subpar 2013-14 season. “I’m just going to try to help, maybe provide some different looks.’'

When you look at the Rangers setup on the power play, you can understand why they believe adding Boyle will help. Ryan McDonagh is an all-world player on the blue line and will get his time there, but after that things got a bit weird.

Dan Girardi was generally paired up with McDonagh at even strength, but it was Brad Richards with him on the power play. Now that he’s in Chicago after being bought out, that opens that spot up. In the playoffs, John Moore played the third-most minutes on the power play followed by Raphael Diaz, Anton Stralman, and Marc Staal.

It’s easy to see how Boyle will fit in there, now it’s just a question if at 38 years old he can still bring it.

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