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Florida Panthers sign Brian Boyle to one-year deal

By Dave Stevenson

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 20: Nashville Predators center Brian Boyle (11) is shown during Game Five of Round One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, held on April 20, 2019, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 20: Nashville Predators center Brian Boyle (11) is shown during Game Five of Round One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, held on April 20, 2019, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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According to Bob McKenzie, the Florida Panthers are going to sign veteran center Brian Boyle to a one-year deal that likely won’t exceed $1 million. The team has confirmed it.

The free agency market this summer cooled off very quickly, leaving several players without a job. Among the most prominent names left unsigned at the start of the 2019-20 NHL season was veteran center Brian Boyle. According to the latest NHL rumors, he is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers.

This report comes from Bob McKenzie. According to McKenzie, the deal is expected to be for one year and will likely be around $1 million. He’s had conversations with multiple teams, but it appears the Panthers are the team Boyle will wind up on. The Panthers have confirmed the deal.

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Boyle has played in 12 NHL seasons. He has played for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and Nashville Predators. They will be the seventh team he’s played for.

Last season, Boyle split his time between the Devils and Predators. The Predators traded for him just before the trade deadline. Split between them, Boyle had 18 goals and six assists for 24 points while averaging 13:26 of ice time. That was his highest average time on ice per game since the 2011-12 season.

Boyle will likely play a bottom-six role with the Panthers. Ideally, he’s a fourth-line center who can provide a bit of a scoring punch. In a pinch, Boyle can play a third-line role but doesn’t chip in quite enough to last there long-term.

One area he should be able to help the Panthers is on the penalty kill. Boyle’s one of the better penalty killers in the NHL. Currently, the Panthers have an 86.4% penalty kill percentage, which is the eighth-highest mark in the league as of Oct. 20. Boyle should be able to help them on the power play as well.

Additionally, his intangibles and leadership are simply off the charts. Boyle’s one of the most respected players around the league. Teammates glow about him and few players command the respect that he does. Boyle is most famous for overcoming cancer while he was with the Devils.

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The Panthers get some much-needed veteran leadership with him. Boyle’s the kind of player you want on your side when you’re fighting for the Stanley Cup. His teams have a tendency to make the playoffs, which is a good sign for the Panthers.

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