New York Rangers Free Agent Profile: Brian Boyle

The New York Rangers will be looking to the free agent pool this summer to help rebuild the roster. Familiar face Brian Boyle could be a great addition for the New York Rangers.

Brian Boyle brought grit and production to the New York Rangers during his tenure with the team. The Rangers have struggled to find another player like Boyle since.

Boyle was with the Rangers from the 2009-2010 season until the end of the 2013-2014 season. He left as a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With the Lightning until this trade deadline, Boyle was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, Boyle is a free agent once again.

Last Season’s Numbers

Boyle spent last season in two different cities: Tampa Bay and Toronto.

Boyle played much better in his time in Tampa Bay. He had 13 goals and 9 assists through 54 games. He continued to be a force on the faceoffs, winning 53% of them. Boyle was also a surprising good 54% corsi for, meaning 54% of all shots taken when Boyle was on the ice were for his team.

Toronto wasn’t as pretty. He has just three points in the 21 games he played for the Maple Leafs. He continued to win faceoffs there and have a physical presence. However his corsi for dipped below 50% in those games.

If you consider the numbers in Tampa Bay on a broader scale, Boyle could have had the best year of his career. The change really didn’t do him any well. It’s possible he could replicate those numbers in New York.

What Numbers Don’t Chart

Remembering Boyle’s time as a Ranger, I think back to just how hard he worked every night.

He was good for a blocked shot and a couple of hits per night. On top of that, he could contribute a point every two to three nights.

Considering the role that Boyle played, that was great. Tanner Glass is a good comparison to someone in that role. If you look at the two of them side by side, you can appreciate just how good Boyle was at what he was doing.

The New York Rangers struggled in that department this year. Ultimately, it was not why they were eliminated by the Ottawa Senators in the second round; but one can say that it was one of the factors.

Contract Situation

Players like Boyle are judged heavily by the price that they come at.

Boyle came at a reasonable $2.0 million cap hit over the last three seasons in Tampa Bay. His previous contract came at $1.7 million over the previous three seasons.

Well, much has changed in the past six years. It would be a treat to Boyle if the Rangers asked for $1.5 million over two or three years.

Boyle likes it in New York and this contract will stand out among others. His stats have declined slightly so asking for anything more than $2.0 million isn’t reasonable.

Next: Five free agents the Rangers must avoid

At the end of the day, Boyle will be 33 next year. It’s hard to convince a GM to invest in a grinder with a lot of money at Boyle’s age. The Rangers offering $1.5 million over two or three years is fair for everyone, and the Rangers would really benefit from getting it done.

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