As Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times aptly put it, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been trying to replace Dan Boyle since they traded him away in 2008.
When San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson announced that he won’t be bringing back the pending-UFA defenseman, who is reportedly seeking a two year deal rather than the one year pact offered by his current team, Tampa Bay Lightning fans took Twitter by storm and started a “Bring Boyle Back… campaign. It’s not exactly a secret that the Bolts are in need of an upgrade on the blue line, but the question is whether or not Boyle is a fit.
The immediate thought that crossed my mind when the Boyle talk started up was that he could be a decent replacement for Sami Salo. Even at 37 years of age, the right-handed defender was able to pot 12 goals in 75 games this year; six of those tallies were power play markers. It’s difficult to know for sure, but I’d wager a guess that Boyle would help the Lightning’s middling power play (ranked 13th in the league) in a noticeable way.
Another plus with Boyle is that he’s arguably more mobile than a guy like Salo. While he has slowed down considerably since leaving the Lightning, it’s tough to argue that he’d be a downgrade in the speed department. Given that Jon Cooper and Rick Bowness like their team’s defenders to move the puck up ice quickly and join the rush when able, Boyle’s skill set might just be a fit.
With all that said, it’s often quite easy for nostalgia to get in the way of objective analysis. Lightning fans remember Boyle as a key contributor to the team’s 2004 Stanley Cup run, and a fan favorite who probably never should have been shipped out. During his heyday with Tampa, Boyle was one of the league’s best offensive defensemen. Despite being undersized, he could always be counted on to make a big play at a key time. That’s the Boyle we all remember.
Of course, that was six years ago. Let’s remember that there is a reason Doug Wilson is letting this player, who is coming off a six year deal worth $40-million, walk.
As alluded to above, Boyle isn’t the same player who left Tampa six years ago. A concussion sustained at the start of the 2013-14 season slowed him down in a very obvious way. As David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News succinctly put it, sleep deprivation, balance issues, and a general lack of energy hurt Boyle’s performance on the ice. Many Sharks followers I’ve spoken to say that he was never able to get back to full speed.
Another thing working against Boyle is the fact that he wasn’t exactly a possession wizard for a team that fancied itself as a cup contender. Even though he was put in a position to succeed with great zone starts, his Corsi stats were in the middle of the pack for Sharks skaters. You could easily argue that his woes in that department were injury related as well, but the fact is that he wasn’t the dominant top pairing defender Tampa fans all remember.
Raw Charge’s Kyle Alexander may have said it best when he called the prospect of signing Boyle a “sidegrade… rather than an upgrade. I don’t think Boyle is necessarily a better player than Sami Salo at this point in his career; they both have strengths and weaknesses. Where Boyle is a better passer, Salo has a better shot. Where Salo is better positionally, Boyle is likely more swift. The question for Yzerman and the Lightning’s decision makers is whether or not Boyle is a fit for this hockey club.
My personal opinion is that Boyle would be a good fit with the 2014-15 Lightning, so long as he’s not brought in to be a savior or all-star. At this point in his career, Boyle is likely a solid complementary player. He’s not the upgrade that the Lightning need on defense, but I think there’s a niche on that blue line for him to fill. Maybe Yzerman & Co. see things differently. I guess we’ll find out on July 1st.
As always, thanks for reading.