Dan Boyle (ice Hockey) - Playing Career

Playing Career

Undrafted after four years with the Miami RedHawks of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), Boyle was signed as a free agent by the Florida Panthers on March 30, 1998. He played his first two seasons in the Panthers' farm system in the American Hockey League (AHL), earning All-Rookie Team honours in 1999, as well as Second Team All-Star honours in 1999 and 2000. Boyle earned a full-time roster spot with the Panthers in 2000–01, recording 4 goals and 22 points. The next season, his fourth in Florida, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a fifth round draft choice (Martin Tůma) in 2003 on January 7, 2002. After completing the season with 20 points in 41 games after coming over from the Panthers, he was re-signed to a one-year contract by the Lightning on August 6, 2002.

He recorded 13 goals and 53 points in his first full season with the Lightning in 2002–03 before helping the team to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Boyle went overseas to play for Djurgårdens IF of the Elitserien. As NHL play resumed the next season, Boyle continued to produce with a 15-goal, 53-point season in 2005–06. He recorded his first career NHL hat trick against the New York Rangers on December 23, 2006, adding an assist for a four-point game in a 4–3 win. The following season, Boyle elevated his game to career-high numbers of 20 goals, 43 assists and 63 points, good enough for Second Team All-Star honours.

He suffered a major setback, however, in September 2007, injuring himself in a freak accident after a pre-season game when a skate slipped off a hook in his locker and hit him in the left wrist, severing three tendons. Boyle underwent initial wrist surgery on September 23; he attempted to return on October 29, but after playing his first four games of the 2007–08 season, Boyle underwent additional surgery on the injured wrist, missing another 36 games. He did not make a full comeback until January 24, 2008, scoring two goals in his return, and soon thereafter was re-signed to a six-year, $40 million contract extension on February 25. He completed his injury-shortened campaign with 25 points in 37 games.

Despite coming off a recent contract extension with the Lightning, on July 4, 2008, Boyle was traded along with Brad Lukowich to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, a first round draft pick in 2009 and a fourth round draft pick in 2010. Boyle was pressured to waive his no-trade clause by Tampa Bay's new ownership, who said they would otherwise place him on waivers where he would likely be claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers. Already knowing Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov, Boyle agreed to be traded to the Sharks.

In his first season with the Sharks, he tallied 16 goals and 57 points over 77 games, leading all team defencemen. The following season, on December 31, 2009, Boyle scored his 100th goal against the Phoenix Coyotes in a 3–2 shootout win. He finished the campaign with 15 goals and 58 points. In the opening series of the 2010 playoffs, Boyle ended game three against the Colorado Avalanche in overtime by inadvertently shooting the puck into his own net. Pressured by Avalanche forward Ryan O'Reilly, Boyle attempted to ring the puck around the boards behind his net, but it was deflected by O'Reilly into the Sharks' net between Nabokov's pad and the post. Nonetheless, the Sharks won the series 4-2, winning games 4, 5, and 6. Boyle had a point in all three of these games.