For black and gold fans who’ve waited patiently for general manager Ron Hextall to fulfill his all-but-promised mandate to add some size and push back, we’ve gotten our wish…sort of.
The Penguins announced today that hulking center Brian Boyle and defenseman Matt Bartkowski have been invited to training camp on a tryout basis.
A 13-year veteran with 805 NHL games on his resume, the 36-year-old Boyle has long been a solid bottom-six center for a number of teams, including the Rangers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Devils, Predators and, most recently, Panthers. At 6’6” and 245 pounds, he’s an uber-hefty presence who hits and grinds, wins faceoffs and plays solid defense. Although not much of a playmaker, he’s tallied as many as 21 goals in a season and notched 18 goals as recently as 2018-19, so he does possess a scoring touch.
For the record, Boyle will drop the gloves in defense of a teammate. Over the course of his career he’s tangled with the likes of Tom Wilson and Zdeno Chara. However, he’s not an especially accomplished fighter. Even if he makes the team, he won’t Sully (pun intended) the team’s Ivory Soap image.
Boyle’s also a cancer survivor, having overcome chronic myeloid leukemia.
My take? Had the Pens pursued Boyle even up to a couple of years ago I would’ve been thrilled. However, after sitting out the entire 2020-21 campaign at the professional level (he did participate in the 2021 IIHF World Championships), you wonder how much he’s got left.
Not to be pessimistic or diss Hextall’s efforts (I know he’s nailed to the salary-cap wall), but to me it feels like a token move. See, we’re trying to address our size issue like we said we would. Reminiscent in a way of Jordan Nolan, another wide-bodied veteran who attended camp last season before being shipped to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He departed after playing just two games for the Baby Pens.
And we all know how much Mike Sullivan loves big guys (not), although it should be noted the Pens’ skipper served as an assistant coach with the Rangers during Boyle’s stay on Broadway. So at the very least, they figure to be familiar with each other. Perhaps a factor in the signing.
The Bartkowski invite? To be honest…a head-scratcher. On the plus side, Matt’s skated in 256 NHL games and plays a fairly solid, stay-at-home style. The 6’1″, 201-pounder will stick his nose in and he can fight a little, at least in the Penguins’ scheme of things. Too, he’s a Mount Lebanon native, which adds a feel-good-local-boy theme to the proceedings.
The downside? He’s 33 years old, has played in only three NHL games over the past three seasons and is a left-handed shot, while the Pens’ glaring need is on the right side.
Maybe another depth move for the Baby Pens, I don’t know.
Still waiting/hoping to see if the Pens offer Erik Gudbranson a similar tryout deal. I’m not holding my breath.
Update: the situation gets curiouser and even more curiouser. It was just announced that Sid has just undergone Wrist surgery and will be out at least 6 Weeks; that takes him out of training camp and puts him about 2 weeks into the season. That sheds more light into the Boyle PTO. Apparently our favorite flightless fowl will be without the their Number 1 and Number 2 Centers for the start of the Season.
Not a good sign
Rick
To me, this is more for show than go. IMO neither player has a chance in hell of making
this year’s team. I guess looking at the bright side Hextall is trying to increase our lack
of size. I’m hoping he has something a little more legit up his sleeve.
Hey Mike,
After reading a more in-depth assessment of Boyle over on Pittsburgh Hockey Now and what he brings to the table, I confess I’m a little more upbeat. In addition to his big frame, apparently Boyle has a big personality, too, and oozes leadership. My greatest concern, aside from the fact that he’s been away for the pro ranks for a season, is his lack of foot speed. Not to flog a dead horse, but we’re all aware of Sullivan’s preference for speed.
Still, it’s hard to image Hextall inviting Boyle to camp in a vacuum without getting Sullivan’s input. And Sully certainly has to be familiar with Boyle from their shared time with the Rangers.
Although I’m not holding my breath, fingers crossed that maybe Boyle turns out to be a poor man’s Jeff Carter. He’s certainly the type of player we need.
Rick
Rick
I think this is a situation where Sully knowing Hextall wants to add size chose the worst
of two evils. He would rather have a player like Boyle than someone who has a
reputation for dropping the gloves. Also, I believe Sully was an Assistant Coach with
the Rangers while Boyle was on the roster. I’ve always like Boyle but I do have concerns
about his age – he’ll turn 37 in December. He appears to have some left in the tank
putting up 15pts in 39 games for the Panthers although I think the physical part of his
game is on the decline. Time will tell.
Hey Mike,
It is amazing how allergic the Pens (Sullivan) are to guys who can really fight. Boyle does okay in that regard…he’ll hang with your average run-of-mill scrappers. But he’s really not a match for Wilson or Reaves (or Gudbranson).
The Pens seem to avoid legit heavyweights the way the Pirates avoid power hitters.
Rick
Rick
Good article by Kingerski where he’s speaking to Stu Grimson about the Pen’s lack
of toughness. Not sure if you had a chance to read it. Still keeping my fingers
crossed.
Hey Mike,
Sullivan was an Asst Coach under Tortorella with the Rangers when Boyle was playing there, but that wouldn’t be a selling point. That was the Ranger team that mutinied to a man and demanded the Coach get fired or they would all walk. At first it was reported that the Coach they wanted fired was Tortorella but the writer who broke that story and who had many run-ins with Tortorella eventually went on record as saying that he later found out that the Coach that team wanted fired was Sullivan. So I wouldn’t think that Boyle’s time with Sully was a selling point. It is probably the exact opposite and might be a non to subtle push on Sullivan – assuming that the story was true and Sully was the man NYR wanted fired.