Dan Boyle was “kind of expecting it,” but he was still “devastated” by the San Jose Sharks’ decision to not bring the 37-year-old defenseman back next season.
“I was clear that I wanted to be back here and I loved it here,” said Boyle, per CSN Bay Area. “It can still be pretty tough news to take, but when you lose like we did, you figure that changes are going to be made. Part of me thought this could happen.”
The good news for Boyle is that, even at his age, he should garner good interest as an unrestricted free agent. The Detroit Red Wings, for instance, are in the market for a “top-four right-handed shooting defenseman.” Could there be a fit there?
Boyle played 75 games for the Sharks in 2013-14, scoring 12 times with 24 assists, then added four assists in seven playoff games.
He’s believed to want a two-year contract.
Related: It’s a good time to be a right-shooting d-man free agent