Dan Boyle Parts with the New York Rangers
The New York Rangers held their breakup day interviews this morning/afternoon at their practice facility in Tarrytown. Breakup day is never an easy day for an NHL club to go through. Generally it happens a day or two after a team’s season ends, so the environment is rarely a happy one, and sometimes can get very emotional. That is exactly what happened today with veteran defenseman Dan Boyle.
The 39 year old Boyle, who just finished his second season with the New York Rangers, may have let his emotions get the best of him this morning when he met with the media, but for understandable reasons. Boyle, who is likely to retire after what was his 16th season in the NHL, had some heated words for two members of the Rangers beat, Brett Cyrgalis and old friend Larry Brooks, both of the New York Post.
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Good ‘Ol Larry Brooks and the Meltdown
This isn’t the first time Larry Brooks has gotten into an argument with a Rangers’ player or coach. Maybe you remember a guy by the name of John Torterella who had some disputes with “Brooksie” over the years.
Before Boyle began his interview with the press, Boyle made it clear that he wanted Brooks to get away from the scene. According to Yahoo Sports’ Greg Wyshynski, who has the whole transcript of the conversation available, Boyle asked Brooks to leave, and after Brooks refuted him, saying that “the feelings were mutual”, Boyle responded by telling him “Nobody likes you. Nobody respects you. Just so you know”.
After a little bit more of back and forth conversing, Boyle yelled at him “I have no respect for you. I want you to get the out.” Brooks then said “I don’t care what you think.” After a little more back and forth about wanting him to get the bleep out, Boyle stated for a last time, “I want him out. And that other clown, Brett, or whatever the his name is. Everyone else is fine. I want him out. It’s my right.”
Boyle has been heavily criticized all season long by the Brooks and Cyrgalis, as well as other writers around the team. It is clear that at the age of 39, Boyle has lost a step in his game, and on top of a family issue, which has been undisclosed since the middle of the season, that the beat reporters were all aware of by the way, led to a lot frustration on his part all season long. Regardless, Boyle still managed to score 10 goals and 24 points in 74 games this year for Rangers. 10 of those points came on the powerplay, which was second on the team, behind Keith Yandle.
Another reason why I would imagine Boyle was upset, and nothing has been reported proving this assumption to be true, is that while the beat writers spent all season beating up on him, a majority of them spent a lot of time defending fellow defenseman and teammate Dan Girardi, although his play was 10 times worse than Boyle’s.
Next: New York Rangers Media Day with Eric Staal
By the way, Brett Cyrgalis responded to Boyle’s comments on Twitter
Response to Dan Boyle? I did my job. Not sure he ever did his.
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) April 26, 2016
UPDATE: Cyrgalis just tweeted this…
So maybe I shouldn't have responded to Boyle's immaturity w/ immaturity. But you know when something gets under you skin and you can't not?
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) April 26, 2016
As the rest of breakup day unfolds, we will keep you updated here on Blue Line Station.