Notes and quotes on the arrival of Dan Boyle and the departure of Craig Rivet
Posted by David Pollak on July 4th, 2008 at 6:06 pm | Categorized as General

Weâ€^TMve covered the particulars and, yes, I do have holiday plans so Iâ€^TMm going to try and cut this a little short (selfish, I know).

But here are a few of the highlights from the earlier phone conference now that Iâ€^TMve filed my print edition story.

*Dan Boyle didnâ€^TMt try to hide his unhappiness with the Lightningâ€^TMs new ownership â€" â€oeI was misled and disrespected” â€" but he didnâ€^TMt want to dwell on it either. Once he got over the shock of being pressured to waive his no-trade clause, he said he liked the idea of coming to San Jose, not only because of the teamâ€^TMs past performance, but also because he knew Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, and, in the minors, was a teammate of Evgeni Nabokov in Kentucky.

And it didnâ€^TMt hurt that San Jose had just signed Rob Blake, a close buddy.

*Like most players, Boyle said he has the hockey TV package at home and watches all teams.

â€oeSan Jose plays an offensive style of game thatâ€^TMs right up my alley. Iâ€^TMm looking forward to playing with some of the players up there”

*He also talked about the highs and lows of his time with the Lightning.

â€oeIâ€^TMve won a cup. Iâ€^TMve seen what itâ€^TMs like to be at the top of the mountain and Iâ€^TMve seen what itâ€^TMs like to be the worst team in the league. Last year was a horrible year for me. Iâ€^TMm not the youngest guy, but I have so much left to give and Iâ€^TMm very excited.”

*He and Brad Lukowich were defensive partners when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004. Lukowich, like Boyle, said he was hoping to redeem himself in San Jose after playing on the team at the bottom of the NHL last season.

*Doug Wilson made no attempt to disguise the fact that trading Rivet was financially (and draft-pick) motivated and tied to both the Boyle and Blake signings.

â€oeWhen you move people and take on the type of dollars weâ€^TMve taken on, you have to do some other things,” Wilson said. â€oeYou have to move some dollars and you have to replenish the picks.”

(Aside: I can understand the fans who already are bemoaning Rivetâ€^TMs departure. There was something extremely likable about a regular guy who every now and then would just go nuts on the ice either in defense of a teammate or to stir the pot. Me, Iâ€^TMm going to miss Rivet because he was willing to go beyond the usual cliches in responding to questions. He never gave away state secrets, but he was among the more straightforward. I still remember how, after an October loss in Columbus, he volunteered that nobody should be faulting the coaches, that it was the guys in the room who needed to step it up.)

On that note, have a safe and Happy Fourth of July.

• http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2008/07/04/notes-and-quotes-on-arrival-of-dan-boyle-and-departure-of-craig-rivet/

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