Brian Boyle announces NHL retirement, will join NHL Network as studio analyst
Longtime NHLer Brian Boyle announced his retirement from the National Hockey League today. He will be joining the NHL Network as a studio analyst.
Brian Boyle has announced his retirement from the @NHL and will join the @NHLNetwork as a studio analyst on Thursday.
Brian was first drafted to the @LAKings, 26th overall in the 2003 Entry Draft. He would go on to play in 871 regular-season games, scoring 252 points and… pic.twitter.com/47GhzBHwh3
Boyle was originally drafted first round (No. 26) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Before turning pro, he spent four seasons in the NCAA at Boston College. In 2004-05, Boyle tallied 19 goals and 27 points in 40 games, helped the Eagles win the NCAA (Hockey East) championship, and was named the Hockey East Tournament MVP. In 2006-07, a year after setting a career-high 22 goals and being named to the NCAA Second All-American Team, he captained the Eagles to win their second Hockey East championship in three years. Boyle registered a career-high 53 points in 42 games, was named an NCAA First Team All-American, and was called to the Hockey East First All-Star Team.
Following a prestigious college career full of accolades, Boyle turned pro and joined the Kings American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Manchester Monarchs. In 2007-08, he registered 31 goals and 62 points in 70 games; he was named the AHL’s rookie of the month in January 2008 and to the AHL All-Rookie Team. Boyle made his NHL debut on Feb. 2, 2008, against the New Jersey Devils and notched his first career NHL goal that night against Martin Brodeur.
Boyle was dealt to the New York Rangers at the 2009 NHL Draft and played with the Rangers until 2014-15, when he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning for three seasons before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016-17. Boyle also made stops in New Jersey, and on Nov. 1, he scored his first goal in his first game with the Devils since his diagnosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia; it was an extremely emotional moment. That same year, Boyle replaced Taylor Hall for the All-Star Game and finished second in the accuracy shooting challenge. Following that season, Boyle was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy.
In a career that spanned 14 years and 871 games, Boyle registered 141 goals and 111 assists for 252 points while playing for the Kings, Rangers, Lightning, Leafs, Devils, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins.