Dan Boyle (ice hockey)

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Dan Boyle is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born on July 12, 1976, in Ottawa, Ontario, and played 1998–2016 in the NHL.

Despite going undrafted, Boyle built a strong college career at Miami University in Ohio and played junior hockey for the Gloucester Rangers. He earned several college honors, including first-team All-CCHA and All-American selections, and Miami’s records for goals in a game by a defenseman and for points in a season by a defenseman. He signed with the Florida Panthers as a free agent in 1998 and began his pro career in the minor leagues before becoming a full NHL player in 2000–01.

Boyle was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in January 2002. He helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup in 2004. During the 2004–05 lockout, he played for Djurgårdens IF in Sweden. He returned to produce strong seasons with the Lightning, including a career-high 63 points in 2007–08 before a wrist injury that required surgery.

In 2008, Boyle was traded to the San Jose Sharks. In his first season with the Sharks, he led all team defencemen with 57 points. He notched his 100th NHL goal in December 2009. In the 2010 playoffs, he was involved in a memorable overtime own goal, but the Sharks still won the series in the end.

A jaw injury in 2013 forced him to miss time, and in 2014 his rights were traded to the New York Islanders before he signed with the New York Rangers. He played for the Rangers until retiring in October 2016. He finished his NHL career with 164 goals and 605 points in 1,093 games.

Internationally, Boyle played for Canada, winning a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships and a gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He was part of Team Canada’s roster for the Olympics in 2006 as a reserve.

Off the ice, Boyle has two daughters and has been in a relationship with Collette D’Amico. He grew up in Ottawa, attended French-language schools, and as a kid he cheered for the Montreal Canadiens. A notable moment from his career happened during the 2004 Cup Final when a fire damaged his Florida home. After a long career in the NHL, Boyle said he plans to live in the San Jose area with his family.