from Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star,

It was as if Mike Babcock ordered up Brian Boyle by simply speaking his wish out loud.

Asked to assess his roster’s depth after Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Canadiens, the Maple Leafs coach put out a not-so-subtle call for reinforcements at a certain important position.

“We have good depth in lots of spots — not as much at centre ice,” Babcock said.

And just like that, not much more than 36 hours later, Leafs management made a deal to address the issue. In acquiring Boyle, the 32-year-old fourth-line centreman formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto brought into its fold a rare NHL commodity — one of a dying breed of veteran grit guys in a league always looking for younger, cheaper versions of the type.

But Boyle, who came at the price of a 2017 second-round pick and the seldom-used Byron Froese, has a resume that differentiates him from the average bottom-six forward. Along with a six-foot-six frame that ought to be a turn-on to the size-obsessed Babcock, Boyle is in possession of something that’s mostly missing from the current Toronto lineup. That’d be a deep well of post-season experience, including back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup final in 2014 and 2015 as a member of the Rangers and Lightning, respectively.

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