Brian Boyle signs two-year, $5.1 million contract with Devils

Forward Brian Boyle signed a two-year, $5.1 million contract (average annual value of $2.55 million) with the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Boyle, 32, had 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 75 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning last season. He was traded to Toronto on Feb. 27.
"At the end of the day, [the Devils] told me I was needed, which is a great thing," Boyle said. "I think they have some great pieces and I'm very close with (former Boston College teammate and Devils goalie) Cory Schneider, who is a huge difference-maker. All I know is that every time I played against New Jersey, no matter where we were, they're a difficult team to play against. It's a team that works and if you have everyone working, that's a good sign for a player like myself. That's something that benefits me.
"Having played against them, I can compliment what they have going and I feel I'll fit into that system pretty nicely."

Boyle, who won 52.2 percent of faceoffs last season, played in the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons with the New York Rangers (2014) and Lightning (2015), losing each time.
Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round (No. 26) of the 2003 NHL Draft, Boyle (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) has 169 points (93 goals, 76 assists) and 488 penalty minutes in 624 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs, Lightning, Rangers and Kings, and 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 106 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I'm very excited to be able to drive to training camp," Boyle said. "That was a check mark in the positive column. I'm very much looking forward to getting back to the Northeast."