A day after signing an NHL contract, Brian Boyle found himself on the scoresheet after missing out on the 2021 campaign.
It's hard not to cheer for the guy.
After not signing an NHL contract last season, Brian Boyle scored in his first game National Hockey League game since Aug. 8, 2020, a playoff game during Boyle's tenure in Florida.
Boyle made it 2-0 in the first game of the 2021-22 NHL season, going five-hole on Andrei Vasilevskiy less than five minutes into the second period. The crowd reaction was surprisingly strong, with Boyle being a popular figure from his days in Tampa Bay from 2014-17.
Boyle was left unsigned last year, with his only competitive hockey competition coming in the form of the 2021 World Championship in Latvia. It's been just over a full calendar year since he last played in the NHL which might not seem like too much, but for a 36-year-old forward known more for his toughness and leadership for his ability to put pucks in the net, it's a great story to see him have a successful return.
Boyle was signed to a standard one-year contract after a successful tryout deal during the pre-season.