Dan Boyle Says He Still Has Something Left In The Tank

Dan Boyle still believes he has some game left in him, despite undergoing a decline this season. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Boyle will turn 38 years old before next season, but don’t tell that to him.

The San Jose Sharks’ veteran blueliner still believes he has some game left in him, despite undergoing a decline this season.

“There’s going to be a lot of talk about my age and the decline in my game, which I’ve heard a lot,” Boyle told David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News. “I’m proud of how I finished the season, how I played in the playoffs.”

Boyle recorded four assists in the seven-game playoff series against the Kings. He had his worst regular season in a Sharks uniform, however, with just 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists). He is a free agent now that the season is done, and as of now, there have been no reports of negotiations between Boyle and the Sharks.

“I haven’t even thought of that, to be honest with you,” Boyle said after being asked whether he had played his last game as a Shark. “I’m so consumed with the game. I hadn’t thought of that.”

He’ll have plenty of time to think about it now. He has been in the league since 1998, and over the years, became one of the league’s best offensive defensemen. With the Sharks, he has been an anchor on the blue line and has quarterback the power play.

“It’s too easy to say ‘he’s old and done,’ ” said Boyle. “That’s just a thing that’s too easy to say. At some point that’ll be true, but I don’t believe for one second that that is true.:

The decision whether to keep him or not will come down to money and years. If Boyle can’t find another suitor, and will take a one-year contract for a reasonable amount, the Sharks should gladly welcome him back. But it’s hard to imagine that at least one other team won’t find interest in Boyle and offer him more than the Sharks are willing to give.