Brian Boyle

Brian Paul Boyle (born December 18, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He is currently an analyst for NHL Network. He played parts of 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Boyle won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2018 and was also named an All-Star that year.

Before playing in the NHL, Boyle played three seasons with the Boston College Eagles of Hockey East.

He was selected 26th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL entry draft. On May 27, 2010, Boyle signed a 2 year, $1,670,000 entry-level contract with the Kings.^[1] He was then sent down to play for their AHL=affiliate Manchester Monarchs. On February 2, 2008, the Kings called Boyle up and he made his NHL debut in a 6–3 loss against the New Jersey Devils. During the game, Boyle scored his first NHL goal against Martin Brodeur.^[2]

On June 27, 2009, the Kings traded Boyle to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2010 third-round pick.^[3] He helped the Rangers make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs but had to miss three games after he was hit and concussed by Ottawa Senators player Chris Neil.^[4]

On July 1, 2014, Boyle signed a three-year, $6 million contract to join the Tampa Bay Lightning.^[5] He helped the team during the Stanley Cup playoffs, recording his first career two goal game in a 5–2 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins.^[6] The Lightning were eliminated by the Penguins in Game 7.

On February 27, 2017, the Lightning traded Boyle to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Byron Froese and a 2017 conditional second-round draft pick.^[7] He played 21 games with the team, recording 3 assists.

On July 1, 2017, Boyle signed a two-year, $5.1 million contract to join the New Jersey Devils.^[8] On November 1, Boyle played in his first NHL game since he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia against the Vancouver Canucks. It was also the first day of the NHL’s month-long Hockey Fights Cancer campaign that had just started.^[9] On January 25, 2018, Boyle was announced as a replacement for his injured teammate Taylor Hall in the All-Star Game.^[10] On June 20, Boyle was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for returning after his cancer diagnosis.^[11] On November 5, he recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Hockey Fights Cancer night.^[12]

On February 6, 2019, the Devils traded Boyle to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick.^[13] He played 26 game with the team, scoring 5 goals.

On October 21, Boyle signed a one-year, $940,000 contract to join the Florida Panthers.^[14] He played 39 games with the team, scoring 6 goals and recording 9 assists.

On October 12, 2021, Boyle signed a one-year, $750,000 contract to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.^[15] He played 66 games with the team, scoring 11 goals and recording 10 assists.

On March 22, 2023, Boyle announced that he was retiring from playing professional ice hockey and he joined NHL Network to work as an analyst shortly afterwards.^[16]

On September 19, 2017, Boyle announced that he had been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer.^[17] On October 24, 2018, he announced that his leukemia was in full remission.^[18]

Boyle's father, Arthur, is also a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer and is now living cancer free.^[19]

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database