Ray Shero’s Best Moves As New Jersey Devils General Manager

5. Signing Brian Boyle

During the 2017 offseason, there was a lot of frustration with the moves Shero was making. The New York Rangers made the biggest splash by signing Kevin Shattenkirk, a player most Devils fans wanted in the Garden State. There were other defensemen available like Karl Azner and Andrei Markov. Instead, the Devils spent extra to get what amounts to a fourth-line center who adds size to a contender.

The Devils announced they signed Brian Boyle to a two-year deal worth $2.5 million a season. It’s not like it was a back-breaking contract, but Devils fans were hoping for more.

Boyle ended up being exactly what this team needed. Obviously, his cancer felt gave the team something to rally around. That’s not something that can be predicted, but the likability of Boyle was always going to bring this locker room together. He’s one of the most well-liked teammates in the NHL.

He was extremely useful on the ice as well. He had 13 goals in 69 games, but there was a stretch where he was clearly getting used to getting back on the ice while fighting a deadly disease. He was even better as a player the next season, scoring those same 13 goals but this time in 47 games. The Devils then turned him into a 2nd-round pick.

His contributions were remarkable. He was a fan favorite if we’ve ever seen one. Boyle will always have a special place in Devils fans’ hearts.