Dan Boyle injury update: defenseman set to return for San Jose Sharks vs Phoenix Coyotes

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

According to various sources, including Kevin Kurz of CSNBayArea.com, Dan Boyle will suit up when the San Jose Sharks take on the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday. He hasn’t played since October 15, when he took a vicious check from behind from Maxim Lapierre of the St. Louis Blues.

It appears that the Sharks are getting healthy just in time for the start of November. Martin Havlat played his first game of the season against the Los Angeles Kings on October 30, while Brent Burns continues to skate on his own without a timetable. The injury to Burns is still considered a day-to-day type.

Boyle’s return couldn’t come soon enough for San Jose though. The team has been shuffling through defensive combinations, searching for chemistry and has come up empty handed. Brad Stuart failed to click on pairings with both Matt Irwin and Scott Hannan, and there has been a dwindling spark from the back end with Boyle on the shelf.

The biggest positive over the last few weeks has been the emergence of Marc-Edouard Vlasic as a guy capable of doing some damage from the back end. He was drafted as a player with some offensive upside, and he’s finally starting to show why.

Welcome back to the fold, Boyle.