The veteran center - who's played a ton of playoff hockey over the past few years - was acquired by Toronto in a trade with Tampa Bay on Monday, and the players he's joining can consider Boyle a reward for their strong play through three quarters of the season.
Babcock said Lamoriello wanted to reward the Leafs players with more help given the season they've had.
The plan is for Boyle to center Toronto's fourth line with Matt Martin and - for the time being - Josh Leivo, while he'll also see duty on the penalty kill and in front of the net on the power play, according to head coach Mike Babcock.
The Leafs are hopeful that Boyle - flying out west from Tampa Bay - will be in their lineup Tuesday night in San Jose.
It's happening, folks. Less than a year after selling anyone and everything - while finishing dead last - Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello and Co. are buying ahead of the trade deadline with one goal in mind: the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Toronto traded a second-round pick and Byron Froese to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Brian Boyle on Monday, and the pending unrestricted free agent gives the Maple Leafs depth at arguably the most crucial position on the ice - up the middle.
While it can be argued that a second-round pick for a rental player is too steep a price to pay, Toronto dealt from a position of strength; it had three second-rounders in the upcoming draft - its own, one from the San Jose Sharks, and another from the Ottawa Senators.
Hitting fast forward on the rebuild
Mike Babcock promised pain. He was right. But even he probably expected more of it.
While it's fair to say no one expected Toronto to be where it is in the standings today, that's what happens when you add three uber-talented rookies to the lineup in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. You win. And now that they've got a taste, the Maple Leafs want more. Because - and this is the irony - Toronto's brass knows its young group is going to have to learn how to lose in the playoffs before it learns how to win.
The Maple Leafs had a need. They deserve props for going out and filling it before March 1.
About faceoffs
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
There's more.
Boyle can win faceoffs - something all Maple Leafs centers except Bozak struggle to do.
Boyle ranks 31st among NHL centers who have taken at least 300 faceoffs, winning 53 percent. In the defensive zone, he's won 51.4 percent of his draws, which ranks 37th in the league. In other words, see you later, Ben Smith.
About experience
There's more, still.
Not a single NHLer has suited up for more playoff games than Boyle since 2011. That will serve the youthful Maple Leafs well, and Babcock, too, as Toronto aims to qualify for the postseason for - somehow - only the second time since the 2004-05 lockout (and we all know how that first appearance ended).
About flexibility
(Photo courtesy: USA TODAY Sports)
Plans change. The Maple Leafs are the perfect example.
Toronto wasn't supposed to be in the playoff conversation in year two with Babcock behind the bench. But sometimes the ping-pong balls land in your favor, and things change.
The Maple Leafs are adapting on the fly, and deserve credit for recognizing that playoff experience - whenever it comes - is crucial for Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Connor Brown, Zach Hyman, and even Nazem Kadri - one of only five players left from that horrific night in Boston.
Adding Boyle is a big win for Toronto, which used the draft picks it accumulated over the past year to perfection.
Now comes the hard part - the playoff push, and being left standing when the dust settles. And that's the best part. Finally, the last six weeks of the regular season matter. Enjoy, Maple Leafs fans. You've earned it.
The 32-year-old was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs hours before his now former club was set to host the Ottawa Senators. He's trading in one blue and white uniform for another.
"It's interesting when you wake up from a nap expecting to play and you're no longer with that club," Boyle said of the deal, which netted Tampa Bay a second-round draft pick and Byron Froese. "I moved up the standings in a matter of a couple of hours," he added.
Boyle spent the last two-and-a-half seasons in Tampa Bay, and he admitted it's hard to move on, especially after a couple of deep playoff runs.
"It's tough to say goodbye. I'm a fairly loyal guy," he said. "I'm going to miss my buddies. It's really been a pleasure to play down in Tampa, and it's been exciting," he added.
Boyle on #TBLightning breaking up: "It’s disappointing in the fact that what we had in Tampa our expectations for this year weren’t met."
But it's Laine and Matthews who stand apart. And, after watching the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs play their second nine-goal overtime thriller of the season - with the top two picks in last year's draft combining for five points, and Laine becoming the first freshman to reach 30 goals - it's easy to understand why. Yeah, they're rookies, but it's clear Laine and Matthews are otherworldly talents, franchise talents, and it won't be long before they're in the conversation about the best and most talented players the NHL has to offer.
Laine or Matthews? Matthews or Laine?
Winnipeg and Toronto supporters have been screaming over each other since the preseason about who's better between Matthews and Laine. Since the draft, actually.
Laine's the better sniper, that much is clear - his release is unparalleled. Matthews appears to be the better playmaker, who dominates possession, who can create something out of nothing.
And it has to be mentioned: Laine's doing what he's doing playing with Mark Scheifele - arguably the most underrated superstar in hockey - and Nikolaj Ehlers. Matthews is doing what he's doing playing with Connor Brown and Zach Hyman.
For Jets and Maple Leafs supporters, it's impossible to be non-partisan. And that's fine - that's what sports fandom is all about.
Split it
The truth is, between Laine and Matthews, there's no wrong choice. Both are completely acceptable answers to numerous questions:
Who deserves to win the Calder Trophy?
Who would you build a franchise around?
Who has the higher ceiling?
Who is more exciting to watch?
It comes down to geography, for the most part, and personal preference. So, in the spirit of two incredible rookies, one-two picks living up to the hype and more, how about co-Calder Trophy winners?
Face it, everybody wins.
Well, everyone except Murray. But he'll be fine, he's already won the ultimate hardware, the only NHL trophy that truly, at the end of the day, matters. The one Laine and Matthews would trade the Calder for in a split second.
The Jets and Leafs tangle for the second time this season in Toronto Tuesday, with the two rookies set to face each other again, after being drafted one-two in the summer.
Laine was bludgeoned with talk of the rivalry ahead of the game, and you can tell the subject is getting tirefor the young Finn.
"Um, I think we're playing against Toronto, I'm not sure, but, yeah, I don't care," Laine said Tuesday when asked if he pays any extra attention to the matchup and rivalry. "I think the media is trying to make a bigger deal out of that. We're focused on playing against the Maple Leafs."
Laine had a hat trick - the first of his career - against Toronto the first time the teams met in October in Winnipeg, while Matthews had an assist and seven shots on goal. The Jets won 5-4 on overtime, Laine - obviously - scoring the winner.
The new Canadiens head coach - returning for his second tour of duty - held his first practice Friday with his new club, and then met with the Montreal media for the first time since ditching Boston Bruins black and gold for Montreal bleu, blanc, et rouge.
His message to his new team, fresh off its bye week, was simple.
"I wanted them to know how good I think the team is. We're in first place," Julien said, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu.
"Guys needed to go on the ice feeling good about themselves, and I made sure that happened," he added, according to TSN's John Lu.
"Guys want hope, excitement, and a positive message," he continued, La Presse's Marc Antoine Godin tweeted. "There's no need to panic. There's a need to fix."
For all the "Sky is falling!" talk in Montreal, the Canadiens are indeed in first place in the Atlantic, and have the division's best goal differential (plus-15). While the Habs are certainly struggling, and Ottawa's on their heels at only four points back, the Senators' three games in hand only matter if Ottawa wins them.
And make no mistake, Julien isn't worried about Carey Price's form.
"I have no doubt that Price is one of the best goaltenders in the world," Julien said. "He'll bounce back, and it could be (Saturday)."
That'd be one way for Price to welcome his new bench boss.
Montreal will play six times before the March 1 trade deadline, games Julien and general manager Marc Bergevin will certainly use to evaluate the roster.
It's safe to say the Montreal Canadiens have officially hit the reset button.
The team hit the ice after its league-mandated bye week Friday, for its first practice under new head coach Claude Julien. Pictures were taken, babies were kissed, and everybody's looking forward to a return to game action Saturday when the Winnipeg Jets visit the Bell Centre.
All-world goaltender and Montreal's most important player Carey Price had the quote of the day:
"It kind of feels like it's a new season," Price told a massive horde of media after practice.
The 29-year-old has to be hoping that's the case, because if the last two years are any indication, the Habs love when a new one begins.
#Habs Price says the team was lacking emotion, energy and confidence in the days leading into the bye week.
The All-Star said he appreciated his new coach's defensive drills in practice.
"It's nice to see guys playing defense," he said with a smile.
Price was 13-2-1 through November this season, the Canadiens once again looking like Stanley Cup contenders, racing out to a huge lead in the Atlantic Division.
It's been a struggle since December, for Price and his team.
Month
SV%
GP
December
.899
11
January
.906
11
February
.879
5
Michel Therrien was fired Tuesday, with former Boston Bruins head coach Julien taking over.
Last year, general manager Marc Bergevin watched his team implode in spectacular fashion after Price went down to injury after only 12 games, 10 of which he won. This time around, Bergevin wasn't going to do the same.
Can Julien fix the Habs? We're about to find out. But a fresh start is clearly what Montreal needed.
Mike Babcock will not be glued to his television or furiously refreshing Twitter on March 1.
With the trade deadline inching closer by the day, the hour, the minute, the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach advised that supporters of the blue and white shouldn't be expecting major moves on deadline day.
"If anyone's looking for us to be the news on deadline day, I'd find something else to do," Babcock said, writes the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby.
With a young squad propelled by rookies and a playoff spot in sight, Toronto may simply take its chances with the roster its assembled.
James van Riemsdyk's name has come up in rumors, thanks to a friendly contract and one season left on it, but he's a big part of the top-six forwards Babcock uses, and after two seasons spent accumulating assets, it's likely Toronto now focuses on accumulating valuable stretch-run and - ideally - playoff experience.
William Nylander's another popular option when discussing potential trades Toronto can make at the deadline, but he's precisely the kind of player Toronto spent years coveting. And were it not for his teammates Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the young Swede would be in the conversation for the Calder Trophy - he's that good, too.
While there's a need for another top-four defenseman, it's unlikely Kevin Shattenkirk - who has been the subject of incessant trade rumors - arrives in Toronto on or before the deadline. He's a rental out of St. Louis, and he'll cost a heavy price. The Maple Leafs aren't there, one piece away, just yet.
The three haven't played a game this season, with Horton and Robidas all but officially retired. The moves provide Toronto with $13,387,834 in cap relief, according to Cap Friendly, meaning the club has a lot to work with ahead of March 1.
As Mirtle notes, though, the situation is complex due to potential overages Toronto will have to pay some of its star rookies. He writes:
The reason all these rookie bonuses are an issue is that they can’t roll into LTIR space. And any bonuses that exceed the cap (up to a maximum of $5.475 million) get rolled over into next season.
Toronto has a few pending unrestricted free agents it could trade at the deadline in order to free up some more money: Matt Hunwick, Roman Polak, and Ben Smith.
But with the club exceeding expectations and eyeing a playoff spot, it's more likely the Leafs stand pat or add to their team.
General manager Marc Bergevin stunned the hockey world Tuesday, when the Montreal Canadiens simultaneously announced the firing of head coach Therrien and the hiring of Julien - who was fired by the Boston Bruins on Feb. 7 - to replace him.
With Montreal in jeopardy of wasting yet another strong start to its season, Bergevin decided it was time for a change while the Canadiens are on their bye week.
Here's everything you need to know about the shuffle behind the Habs bench:
Therrien was fired in the midst of his fifth season behind the Canadiens bench, and eighth overall.
Bergevin said the decision was a difficult one, but that he "came to the conclusion that (the Canadiens) needed a new energy, a new voice, a new direction."
Like Therrien before him, Julien will begin his second stint as Montreal head coach. He served in the same capacity from 2003-06.
Bergevin said Montreal "hired the best available coach, and one of the league's best," and expects Julien to return Montreal to the win column. Read more.
More than anything, Max Pacioretty feels guilty, as a player but especially as Canadiens captain. With little room for error, Pacioretty believes "it's time for everyone to look in the mirror and say, 'You know, I've got to do more, I've got to play better.'" Read more.
Multiple teams asked the Bruins for permission to speak with Julien, so the timing of Tuesday's decision was obviously an important factor in the change behind the Habs' bench. Read more.
