Brian Boyle

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Brian Boyle From Tampa Bay Lightning

February 27, 2017 at 2:25 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded Brian Boyle to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs will send back a 2017 second-round pick and minor league forward Byron Froese. The pick will be the better of the three second-round picks the Maple Leafs currently own—the middle one of which is owed to the Ducks for Frederik Andersen, who then promised it to Dallas for Patrick Eaves. The deal gives the Maple Leafs a much needed fourth line center as they have had underwhelming performances from both Ben Smith and Frederik Gauthier.

When the Lightning called up two players and claimed another today off waivers, rumors flew about the possibility of the team shipping out another player. Steve Yzerman admitted that they brought the bodies up just in case something happened because they still wanted to ice a competitive lineup tonight against the Ottawa Senators.

Boyle, 32, is exactly what Mike Babcock has wanted from his fourth line center, capable of playing on the penalty kill while winning faceoffs and being a big body—Boyle is 6’6″, 240 lbs at a conservative estimate. He also brings the most playoff experience available on the open market, playing in 95 postseason games since 2012 more than every other skater other than Carl Hagelin (h/t Vin Masi of ESPN).

The Maple Leafs, currently in the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference but just five points out of first place in the Atlantic Division are embroiled in a battle for the rest of the season that many of their players have never experienced. Even the old guard like Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk have only played in a single series with the team (though van Riemsdyk played in the playoffs as a youngster for the Philadelphia Flyers).

Boyle is on an expiring contract and will cost the Maple Leafs just $466,667 in cap space according to CapFriendly, assuming that the Lightning don’t retain any salary. Because of the LTIR situation of the team, the Leafs could spend a lot more at the deadline this season and to try and force their way into the East picture. According to John Shannon of Sportsnet, the teams have not (and may not plan to) discussed any possible extension.

Bob McKenzie of TSN was the first to break news that the two were finalizing a deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

St. Louis Blues Sign Patrik Berglund To Five-Year Extension

February 24, 2017 at 12:02 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Well there goes that option at the trade deadline. Patrik Berglund has signed a five-year extension with the St. Louis Blues for an AAV of $3.85MM. Thought to be on the market over the past few weeks, rumbling began the last few days that the two sides were trying to reach an agreement. For the Blues, they’ve locked up a key player at a very reasonable cap hit for the next few years, while Berglund gets some stability and stays with the organization that gave him his first opportunity. The deal will also include a partial no-trade clause, the details of which are yet to be revealed.

The 28-year old center has gotten back to his goal-scoring self this season with 17 markers so far, and looks like he may set a career high this season. A consistent 20-goal threat, $3.85MM is only a small increase on his current salary of $3.7MM. The Blues were likely trying to get this done before the deadline forced their hand. Berglund signing will now turn all the attention to Martin Hanzal and Brian Boyle in the coming days as the already small group of free agent centers becomes even smaller.

Berglund was a first-round pick back in 2006 for the Blues, who viewed him as a potential dominant center with his combination of size—6’3″, 220 lbs—and skill. While he hasn’t quite turned into a top-line presence, he has scored 145 goals in his 615 games and been a dependable player at both ends of the rink. He’s physical, can play on both special teams and doesn’t kill you in the faceoff dot (though he isn’t great there either). Most teams would have been interested in adding him at this number, and after losing David Backes and Troy Brouwer to free agency last season, it’s a nice signing for the Blues.

A comparable contract is that of Darren Helm, signed just this offseason by the Detroit Red Wings. Helm will earn the same amount for the same length, but received a full no-trade clause in the deal. Helm doesn’t have the scoring ability of Berglund and is a year older, but does have quite the reputation for his defensive game. At that number, the Blues can afford to install Berglund in the #3 center role for the duration of his contract and pay a little bit more to the two players ahead of him.

Pierre LeBrun provided details on the no-movement clause, while the actual deal was released by the team itself.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

February 21, 2017 at 8:17 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett 2 Comments

With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re going to start taking a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

For the first time in years, the Edmonton Oilers are legitimate buyers at the trade deadline. NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid and Cam Talbot have lead the way thus far, and have the Oilers comfortably in second place in the Pacific Division. Despite the fact that the Oilers are a top-ten team in the NHL, GM Peter Chiarelli is on record as saying he isn’t “heavily interested” in the rental market, but did say the team deserves some tinkering because they’re “in the conversation.”

Record

32-19-8, 2nd in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Cautious buyer

Deadline Cap Space

Current cap space: $17.811MM
Deadline cap space: $21.375MM
48/50 contracts, via CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: EDM 1st, STL 3rd*, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, VAN 5th**, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2018: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

A carryover from the now defunct compensation rule, the Oilers will need to surrender their 2nd round pick to Boston for hiring Chiarelli as GM back in April of 2015.

* The Oilers will receive either St. Louis’ third in 2017 or their second in 2018 in exchange for Nail Yakupov. The conditional pick becomes the second if Yakupov scores 15 goals this season; because Yakupov has just three goals so far this season, it’s likely to be a third.
**The Oilers will receive either a fourth or fifth round pick from Vancouver for defenseman Philip Larsen. It’s not known what the performance conditions are, but with Larsen sitting at one goal and six points in just 20 games, it’s safe to assume he won’t hit the required production thresholds.

Trade Chips

While the Oilers don’t have many forward prospects, they’re fully-stocked with blue-liners. When healthy, the Oilers have 10 or 11 legitimate NHL options. They could move one of Brandon Davidson or Kris Russell for help up front. Davidson is a likely candidate to be claimed in the expansion draft and is the Oilers most notable trade chip. with the emergence of Matt Benning, there’s an outside chance that pending-UFA Russell could be traded once the Oilers get Darnell Nurse back.

The Oilers don’t have much in the forward prospect cupboard, with just Jesse Puljujärvi and Tyler Benson showing promise as legitimate NHL scoring forwards. On the back-end, Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones are dominant in the WHL, and Markus Niemeläinen is a bright spot on a bad Saginaw Spirit team in the OHL. Over in Russia, potential seventh-round steal Ziyat Paigin has played well above his draft slot.

While some teams could be willing to move first-round picks in a somewhat-weaker draft class, the Oilers are without a second round pick and therefore won’t be likely to deal their first. Despite their successful season, they’re still a building team and will look to stock up on forwards. Don’t expect the Oilers to deal prospects or high picks for rentals; if a notable asset is moved then the return will likely be a long-term solution.

Player To Watch

D Brandon Davidson

Team Needs

1) Right-handed scorer – The Oilers’ biggest need is a right-handed top-nine forward who can shoot the puck. Center Leon Draisaitl has had success playing on the right side with McDavid, but both men produce at the same level when separated. That gives Chiarelli the option of acquiring either a center or right-winger. A center would allow Draisaitl to play on the wing, while a right-winger would allow McLellan to keep his two leading scorers on separate lines. Some players who could be of interest include Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata, Patrick Sharp, Patrick Eaves, Thomas Vanek, Brian Boyle, and Tyler Johnson. The initial asking price for lefty centers Hanzal and Boyle is out of Chiarelli’s stated price range, while the others are simply players who fit the Oilers’ needs and are on the market.

2) Backup goaltender — The signing of Jonas Gustavsson has not worked out for Chiarelli. The veteran backup is buried in the AHL after a horrific start to the year, and prospect Laurent Brossoit is currently serving as backup to the busiest starter in the NHL in Talbot. As of this writing, Brossoit is playing for Edmonton as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on the first night of a back-t0-back. If Brossoit can show his worth, then perhaps Chiarelli holds off on spending an asset on a backup. However, an injury to Talbot would be catastrophic to the Oilers. Two players of interest could be Jaroslav Halak and Michal Neuvirth; both men have struggled in the NHL this season, but have histories as solid options in the NHL and could be had for cheap. Halak is dominating in the AHL, but makes $4.5MM this season and next. If the Islanders are willing to take back Benoit Pouliot or Mark Fayne to make the salaries work, then Halak could be an option. Neuvirth has struggled in a tandem with Steve Mason, and could be acquired as a rental for a low cost, perhaps one of the Oilers’ third rounders.

Lightning Notes: Deadline, Playoffs, Stamkos

February 20, 2017 at 4:55 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times caught up with Lightning GM Steve Yzerman for his latest column and discussed things from expiring contracts to injured players. When broaching the subject of the trade deadline and the possibility of moving upcoming free agents like Ben Bishop and Brian Boyle, Yzerman wasn’t willing to give up on his squad.

We’re competing for a playoff spot so if I’m going to move people.. I’m not just giving people away here. If it makes sense, I’ll do it. If it doesn’t make sense, I’m not. It’s not a firesale.

That’s a common opinion among GMs across the league, who are finding the deadline this year extremely difficult. The looming expansion draft is changing the way teams operate this year, and as Yzerman notes “protection issues, that is a factor in acquiring and trading players.” Indeed, adding a player who might have to be left exposed is just another complication to a deadline that has become more and more difficult since the salary cap debuted.

The other thing to note about the Tampa Bay deadline is that playoff spot that Yzerman mentions. Even though the team is just two games over .500 and four points out of last place in the entire Eastern Conference, he’s right when he says they’re still in a playoff race. The Atlantic division in particular is still wide open, with only 12 points separating first and last place. The Lightning find themselves just five points out of the final wildcard spot, and six out of third in the Atlantic.
Yzerman is still operating as if Steven Stamkos and Ryan Callahan will return at some point this season, which would greatly affect their salary cap situation. If the two can get back though, they’ll be a bigger addition than any trade deadline acquisition. Stamkos has reportedly begun some light skating, and is still on his 4-6 month timeline—that leaves much speculation though, as four months would be mid-March and six would be the end of the playoffs.
Even if a firesale isn’t happening, the Lightning will have some tough decisions up front. As we’ve detailed before, they have an expansion draft crunch and a salary situation that will make for a tough summer. With Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Jonathan Drouin all needing new deals, it looks like at least one of their forwards will need to be shipped out. Alex Killorn looks like a natural possibility, but it may have to be the diminutive Johnson depending on the offers that come in.

Lightning’s Brian Boyle Discusses Trade Rumors

February 19, 2017 at 10:49 am CDT | by Ben Levine 2 1 Comment

We’ve heard Brian Boyle’s name come up several times as we approach the March 1st trade deadline, but the Lightning center told Joe Smith of TampaBay.com that he’d prefer to stay with the organization.

“We’re really blessed to be able to play here,” Boyle said. “We’ve talked about it plenty of times, how wonderful it is to be playing in Tampa, being close to her family. The community here. We want to keep playing here.”

The rumors make plenty of sense, as the impending free agent would be an excellent acquisition for those seeking some offensive reinforcement. Smith mentions that the Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets, and Oilers as the teams that have been connected to the 32-year-old veteran. The writer also notes that the organization is currently seeking a haul for the forward, with other teams being hesitant regarding the high asking price. Of course, Boyle is more interested in helping his current squad.

“If teams want you, it means you’re doing something right,” Boyle said. “I want to add something to this team. I want to be an impact player, help us get to where we want to go. That’s the way I’ve approached (the trade rumors). It’s what’s best for our team. Stuff like that, you have no control over.”

Boyle has played in 51 games this year, his third with the organization. The forward has compiled 13 goals and eight assists this season. Tampa Bay is currently sitting 16 points out from the final wild card spot.

“I want to stay here,” Boyle said. “We’ve been on a mission for a few years now and haven’t accomplished it yet. We want to do it here.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Friedman’s Latest: Galchenyuk, Gionta, Fowler, Boyle

February 14, 2017 at 5:53 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

On top of today’s coaching change, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin may have a decision to make sooner than later regarding center Alex Galchenyuk, writes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his latest 30 Thoughts column. The 23 year old is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season (with a $3.1MM qualifying offer) and has two years of team control remaining before he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency.

However, despite a strong season so far with 29 points in 37 games, the team doesn’t appear to be set in thinking that he can be a full-time center. He has just a 42.3% success rate at the faceoff dot which isn’t ideal for a top line quality forward. Could the team be persuaded to move him for someone that they feel is a better fit down the middle? If Bergevin hasn’t made that decision already, he will need to soon.

As always, the full column is well worth a read but are a handful of the highlights:

Sabres captain Brian Gionta has asked the team to not move him. The 38 year old is in the final season of a three year, $12.75MM deal he signed back in 2015. He has had a nice season with Buffalo, posting 27 points in 56 games and has a good chance at surpassing the 33 points he put up last season which made him a player that many expected to go as a rental in the coming weeks. Worth noting is that Gionta’s trade protection only allows for him to be dealt to five teams; he can block a deal to the other 24.
Although he has been thought of as a strong candidate to be dealt dating back to the draft back in June, the belief around the league is that the Ducks will look to strike a long-term extension with Cam Fowler. The blueliner is well on his way to a career year with 30 points in 57 games and will undoubtedly get a nice raise from the $4MM cap hit he currently has. Teams can’t sign any extensions until there is one year remaining on the contract meaning that July 1st is the earliest anything could be done.
Edmonton, Columbus, and Toronto are among the teams interested in Tampa Bay center Brian Boyle. He’s in the final year of his deal with a very manageable cap hit of $2MM which will make him particularly attractive to some cap-strapped teams as well. In a radio interview earlier, Friedman suggested that a first round pick (which doesn’t carry as much value this year due to a weaker draft class) could wind up being what it costs to secure Boyle, who is set to be a UFA at the end of the season. We took a closer look at Boyle last week as part of our Trade Candidates series.

Trade Notes: Oilers, Krejci, Parenteau, Boyle

February 14, 2017 at 2:50 pm CDT | by Ben Levine 2 2 Comments

The Oilers are on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. As a result, there’s some pressure on general manager Peter Chiarelli to make some moves that will help the team secure that playoff birth. While the executive admitted that he doesn’t believe his team is a true Cup contender, he did provide some insight into his pre-deadline strategy.

“I really don’t want to delve into that market,” Chiarelli said (via Sportsnet’s Mark Spector). “I think there are areas we can tinker with; I think the team deserves it. We wanted to be in the conversation. We are.

“(But) we’ve made a lot of moves in the summer, and they’re coming around. I’d rather see those play out…(Deals) fall in your lap … but I don’t see being heavily involved in that market.

“I don’t think it’s the right time for this team, but having said that … once you get into the playoffs, you never know.”

As we anticipate the March 1st trade deadline, let’s explore some other trade notes from around the NHL…

An NHL executive told WEEI’s Jimmy Murphy that Bruins center David Krejci has been a target of multiple teams (Twitter link). However, the same sourced wondered whether the veteran could now be off the market due to his and his team’s recent play. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 25 assists this season.
That same executive also told Murphy that Predators general manager David Poile has been “a lot more aggressive” over the past year, and that sentiment apparently applies to this season (Twitter link). Nashville is currently slotted in as the top wild-card team in the Western Conference.
It seems like P.A. Parenteau’s name has been floating in trade rumors for the better part of a year, and the Devils winger recently told Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com that he understands that he could be on the block if the team falls further out of the playoff hunt. “I went through it last year,” Parenteau said. “I was having a really good year and I didn’t get traded. Who knows? The market changes every year. I’m aware of my age, and when I sign a one-year deal like that, if the team is going to be out of playoff contention, there’s a chance I get moved.”
Joe Smith of TampaBay.com tweets that he isn’t surprised at the trade talks surrounding center Brian Boyle, citing the veteran’s leadership presence in the locker room. However, Smith says these are the reasons why the Lightning should actually be looking to keep the 32-year-old. In 50 games this season, the veteran has collected 13 goals and seven assists, and he’s on pace to set career-highs in both categories.

Trade Candidates: Brian Boyle

February 5, 2017 at 4:50 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have largely underachieved but some of their players are quietly having big seasons. One of those is Brian Boyle who is quietly positioning himself for a nice pay day while giving GM Steve Yzerman one of the more intriguing trade options on the market.

Contract

Final year of a three year, $6MM deal – Will be a UFA in July.

2016-17

Boyle quietly sits in the top five in goals on the Lightning this season, continuing his upward trend in offensive production that he has shown since signing with them in the 2014 offseason. He’s on pace for over 30 points, something he hasn’t done since 2010-11 with the Rangers. Injuries to several forwards up front have resulted in Boyle seeing more ice time than usual as well; he’s averaging 13:42 per game, his highest since 2012-13.

Simply talking about his production is selling him short though. He’s above the 50% mark at the faceoff dot once again and can play both center and the wing. Boyle logs a regular shift on both special teams as well. That type of flexibility in terms of position and role has made him a very valuable role player for Tampa Bay this year.

Season Stats

47 GP, 12 goals, 7 assists, 19 points, +7 rating, 41 PIMS, 87 shots, 13:42 ATOI, 54.6 CF%

Potential Suitors

The list of teams that would be interested in a versatile 6’7 forward in Boyle would be longer than the list of teams that wouldn’t have a use for him. Here are a few teams in particular that would likely value his services though.

In the East, the Blue Jackets jump out as a good fit. Boyle has plenty of postseason experience (something that can’t be said for many on their roster) and he played his best hockey under John Tortorella back when both were with the Rangers. Columbus also has the cap space to fit him in without sending any money back or having the Lightning retain salary. The Capitals may be an all-in team this season and have a vacancy in their bottom six, though it may have to be on the wing. GM Brian MacLellan made a move to add a veteran penalty killer last year in Daniel Winnik and could conceivably do the same here with their top six in solid shape. They don’t have the cap space to take him on, however, which could complicate things a bit.

Out West, he would be a terrific fit in Chicago. The Blackhawks have been forced to use a lot of youngsters in the bottom six for cap reasons and could benefit from an experienced veteran who can fill a big role. GM Stan Bowman has a history of dealing for bottom six upgrades at the deadline as well. That said, as is always the case when it comes to the Blackhawks, making the finances work would be a challenge. The Oilers are believed to be looking for an upgrade over rookie Drake Caggiula on their third line and Boyle would fit that bill well while giving them some more experience on a team that doesn’t have a lot of playoff-tested players. They also have the cap space to bring him in while leaving enough room for the expected bonuses of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Likelihood Of A Trade

There’s little doubt that Yzerman would like to keep Boyle around but unless he’s willing to take a discount on his market rate and sign early, there probably won’t be an extension forthcoming. As a result, there’s a very good chance he gets dealt unless the Lightning go on quite a run this month to get back into the playoff race.

Boyle could command one of the top prices at the deadline in a trade market bereft of top six rental talent and with a lot of teams fairly tight to the cap. Accordingly, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him be one of the most-targeted players over the next month which will set the Lightning up for what should be a fairly significant return in a deal.