Leafs add Brian Boyle from Tampa in playoff push

SPORTS

Leafs add Brian Boyle from Tampa in playoff push

Stephen Whyno The Canadian Press
Published Monday, February 27, 2017 3:48PM EST Last Updated Monday, February 27, 2017 3:54PM EST

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brian Boyle (11) attempts a shot between Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) and defenseman Alexei Emelin of Russia, right, during second period of Game 3 NHL second round playoff hockey action, Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Brian Boyle in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.

Tampa Bay gets a 2017 second-round pick and forward Byron Froese for Boyle. The teams announced the deal about 47 hours prior to the NHL's trade deadline.

Boyle, 32, is a pending unrestricted free agent. He has 13 goals and nine assists in 54 games this season. In 603 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Lightning, Boyle has 93 goals and 73 assists.

The native of Hingham, Massachusetts, is a defensive-minded forward who can win faceoffs and give Toronto depth down the middle beyond Auston Matthews, Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak. The trade signals more selling for Tampa Bay, which sent goaltender Ben Bishop to the Kings on Sunday.

Boyle has appeared in 100 Stanley Cup Playoff games including 42 over the past two years. He brings veteran leadership to a young Maple Leafs team that is trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.