from Matt Porter of the Boston Globe,

“Obviously I feel a hell of a lot better than I did last summer,” he said.

A year ago, his workouts were half-speed, half-enthusiasm. By August, he was struggling to get out of bed. Training-camp tests revealed chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of blood and bone cancer. Doctors treated it with medicine, rather than chemotherapy. He missed training camp and returned Nov. 1 to continue writing his inspirational story....

All the while, as he and his wife Lauren revealed in December, their 2-year-old son Declan was being treated for an arteriorvenous malformation in his jaw, a condition that causes pressure and pain and necessitated several surgeries. Doctors originally believed he had Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of aggressive cancer. It was a scary time for the Boyles.

Declan’s condition is under control. Boyle has had no remission. “Two weeks on medicine and I was fine again,” he said. “Been fine ever since.” Life feels normal again. He works out in Foxboro and returns home to spend time with Declan, 3, and Isabella, 1.

At 33, the 12-year veteran has one year left on his contract. Boyle has between 13 and 15 goals in each of the last five years. Tucking closer to 20 would ensure a comfortable deal.

“I’d like to play as long as I can,” he said.

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