Brian Boyle is a good short-term fit for the New York Rangers
It has been quite the offseason already for the New York Rangers who have made impressive move after impressive move in order to accelerate their rebuild.
After acquiring the rights to stud defenseman Adam Fox, the New York Rangers traded for blueliner Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets before drafting Finnish phenom Kaapo Kakko with the No.2 overall pick in the 2019 Entry Draft.
Then, of course, came the crowning moment when, despite rumors suggesting the New York Islanders were the preferred destination, the Rangers won the opening day of free agency after signing elite forward Artemi Panarin to a seven-year, $81.5 million contract.
It was a moment of utter euphoria for everyone connected with the New York Rangers and has provided hope that a return to the Canyon of Heroes for the Blueshirts could happen sooner rather than later.
Of course, there is still work to be done and General Manager Jeff Gorton will have to work his magic once more when it comes to signing Trouba to a long-term deal, in addition to working out what to do with Chris Kreider and thrashing out contracts for restricted free agents in the ilk of Pavel Buchnevich, Brendan Lemieux and Tony DeAngelo.
Anyway, all of the above has been discussed in depth and will continue to be dissected the deeper we get into the offseason.
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For now, it makes for interesting reading when studying the Rangers roster as it is currently constructed.
Once again, the Blueshirts will enter 2019-20 with one of, if not the youngest rosters in the NHL and they have a slew of high-end skill players that excel in the more artistic side of the game we all love.
What is lacking, however, is a dollop of grit and an abundance of toughness and experience that you need in order to succeed in the NHL and compete for championships.
This is where Brian Boyle comes in. The 34-year-old veteran forward is currently on the lookout for a new home and, despite his advancing years, it is fair to suggest that he still has plenty to offer.
Could the unrestricted free agent and former Ranger be interested in a return to the Big Apple and taking on the role as a leader on a young and hungry team?
We’ve thrashed out the pros and cons for the New York Rangers bringing Brian Boyle back to Broadway, before giving our final verdict…