The Tampa Bay Lightning were involved during the 2017 National Hockey League trade deadline. According to Bob McKenzie The Bolts are finalizing a trade that will send forward Brian Boyle to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boyle will join the team in San Jose, as the Leafs begin their California road trip.
Update: The Leafs have announce the deal is for forward Byron Froese and a 2nd round pick in 2017. The second round pick is the highest of the three picks the Leafs own in the 2017 draft. The Leafs own their own pick, as well as San Jose’s pick and Ottawa’s pick. They had previously shipped the middle of the three picks to the Anaheim Ducks (who then traded it to the Dallas Stars). The Leafs still have the lowest of those three second rounders.
TB working to finalize a trade to send Brian Boyle to TOR. No trade call so nothing official yet.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 27, 2017
The Leafs announced they have acquired F Brian Boyle from Tampa in exchange for F Byron Froese and a 2nd round draft pick in 2017. #tmltalk
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) February 27, 2017
Boyle, who has been a member of the Lightning since the 2014-15 season, has gathered 13 goals and 9 assists for 22 points in 54 games this season. He has scored 93 goals and 73 assists for 166 points in 603 career NHL games. Boyle’s name began to hit the trade rumors around the turn of the new year with teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers listed as possible destinations.
Brain Boyle, who will be UFA at seasons end, has a $2,000,000 cap hit which would cost the #Leafs $466,667 in prorated cap space as of today
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) February 27, 2017
Brian Boyle Traded to Toronto Maple Leafs
In his NHL career, the six-foot-six-inch Hingham, Massachusetts native has played in a total of 603 games, tallying 93 goals and 73 assists for 166 career points. Boyle has played for the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, mostly filling in a bottom-six forward line role. Boyle is gritty and can get to the front of the net. With his new team the Maple Leafs, Boyle will most likely resume that role and will centre the fourth line.
The Leafs have been searching for a fourth line centre for much of the season, with head coach Mike Babcock lamenting the teams lack of centre depth following Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
It was about time Boyle departed the Bolts. His three seasons in Tampa Bay have been eventful, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2016. This season however has been disappointing for the Lightning, who currently sit in 21st place in the entire League and 6th in the Atlantic Division with a 27-25-8 record. The Bolts were looking to clear up some cap space and bring in some more offensive guns, thus calling for Boyle’s departure.
Froese, 25, played in two games for the Leafs this season. In 45 games with the Toronto Marlies, he has scored 39 points.
It is Tampa’s second trade in two days after dealing Ben Bishop to the Los Angeles Kings.
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