The New Jersey Devils Brian Boyle revealed his cancer is in remission. Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia before the start of the season in September of 2017.
The ink had barely dried on his freshly signed two-year $5.1 million contract when the centreman received the news. He was initially told it could take up to 18 months for his leukemia to go into full remission, though it took just under 13. Boyle told Mike Morreale from NHL.com “A test looks for the leukemia cells in your blood and when I was first diagnosed, it was at 75 percent. At the end of last season, it was at 0.08 percent, and in July I was (at) 0.04 percent. The results showed all zeros on Monday. It’s full molecular remission, and I feel really good. It was kind of the way the progression was happening the last few tests. When I told my wife, she was excited and got emotional.”
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Brian Boyle’s Cancer in Remission
Due to the leukemia diagnosis, Boyle was forced to miss training camp and the start of the following season. He ultimately made his debut with the Devils on November 1. He dedicated himself to getting back to into shape and competed in 69 contests last season. Boyle put up 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points. He also appeared in five playoff games with the Devils.
In June, Boyle was awarded the 2018 Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The veteran player also took part in the 2018 NHL All-Star Game after receiving the cancer diagnosis. At the same time, he was dealing with a scare involving his young son, Declan, who was briefly thought to have a rare and super aggressive form of cancer. Thankfully that wasn’t the case for the child.
During his 12 year NHL, Boyle has played with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since coming to the Devils, he had found a strong support system within the team, despite freshly arriving in New Jersey upon being diagnosed.
Boyle is Ready to Take on This Season
This season, Boyle is putting on a solid performance, despite only averaging 11:42 minutes of ice time. He has already logged three goals and one assist in six games. Now that he is officially in remission, Boyle can focus on staying healthy and playing the game he loves.
PHILADELPHIA, PA. – New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle during an Oct. 24 game against the Philadelphia Flyers. (Photo credit: Kate Frese/Last Word on Hockey)
