The New York Rangers decided to let Anton Stralman go on July 1, and they signed Dan Boyle formerly of the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning to replace him on the second defensive pairing. Boyle is an accomplished defender who has a Stanley Cup on his resume, but he is 38, whereas Stralman is 28.
Despite the vast difference in age, the addition of Boyle ultimately will help the Rangers. He is an accomplished offensive defender who can still make an impact on the power play, but the most valuable role he will play will come as a mentor.
Ryan McDonagh is the Rangers' best defender, and he is arguably one of the best young defenseman in the NHL. He has blazing speed, quick instincts and the ability to render the league's top offensive players useless. However, there is one area in which McDonagh could stand to improve—his offensive game.
With Boyle on the roster, McDonagh will finally have a pure offensive defender he can learn from, and that should allow him to have a great offensive season in 2014-15.
Last season, McDonagh was "let off the leash" by new bench boss Alain Vigneault, and he ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tom Urtz Jr.
How Addition of Dan Boyle Will Enable Ryan McDonagh to Enhance Offensive Game
September 13th, 2014 by Tom Urtz Jr. Leave a reply »
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