Boyce proves big plus for Leafs

Former UNB star | Free agent centre hopes to come back to Toronto

After playing 46 regular season games with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, Darryl Boyce feels a sense of accomplishment.

But he doesn't feel a sense of re-Leaf.

That's because Boyce, a centre who starred for two seasons with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, is one of four pending unrestricted free agents among Toronto forwards.

Joey Crabbe, Tim Brent and Fred Sjostrom are the other three up front who might not be back for that reason. The Leafs are also looking for an offensive cornerstone at centre.

"Forty-six games is a long time and I stood the course the whole 46 games," Boyce said. "I've proven that I can play and I can play effectively, which puts them in a tough spot.

"But I know there are no guarantees."

That was Boyce's mindset since Day One.

"I took it game by game, I never got comfortable, I just brought desperation every night," he said. "It showed up in my play."

Boyce was plus-8 with the Maple Leafs - second only to Mikhail Grabovski's plus-14 - and chipped in with five goals and eight assists in a third-line role.

"My offensive numbers weren't anything to shy away from. Having five goals, I thought, was pretty impressive. All in all, I feel good about my play," said Boyce, who'll turn 27 on July 7.

Boyce played four junior seasons for Toronto's St. Michael's Majors and parts of four seasons for the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies, collecting 28 goals, 81 points and 298 penalty minutes in 169 games.

"My preference is to come back to Toronto," Boyce said. "Toronto gave me my opportunity and I've been here eight years in total, with my four years in junior. I really like the city."

At his exit meeting with Leafs management, "everything was positive," Boyce said. "They just told me, honestly, that I wasn't expected to get that many games this year, but I was a pleasant surprise and made decisions tough for them for next year."

In early February, Boyce had his face rearranged after a collision with the end glass, but he took the licking - 25 stitches to close the gash - and kept on ticking.

"The scar's getting a lot better compared to what it was, but it was a pretty major cut," he said. "Once you're out of the lineup, though, you want to get right back in. At the exit meeting, they actually told me the story about Wally Pipp."

Pipp played 1,872 games in the major leagues, but is now best remembered as the man who lost his starting role to Lou Gehrig at the beginning of Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive games.

"I don't want to be Wally Pipp," Boyce said.

When he hasn't been in Toronto over the last decade, Boyce was helping UNB's hockey team succeed. He was CIS rookie of the year in 2005-06 and was a key asset when the V-Reds won the national title the next season.

Boyce was born in Brampton, Ont., but his family moved to Cape Tormentine when he was two and relocated to Summerside, P.E.I., when he was nine.

He also has a fondness for Fredericton. In fact, he plans to come here May 1 and spent most of the summer training with Brad Paul, Richard St. Pierre and Reg Bourcier - a fitness formula that benefitted him when he arrived at camp.

"I'm going to come back next year ready to fight for a job," Boyce said, "and hopefully it's here in Toronto."

Boyce made his NHL debut against Washington in January 2008, but he dislocated his shoulder and his season was over.

He toiled with the Marlies until the Maple Leafs called him up Dec. 30, 2010 - almost three years later.

"A lot of people are proud of what I've been able to do," Boyce said. "As a team, we made a playoff push (finishing eight points back of the New York Rangers for the final spot). We made it an interesting last two months. A lot of lines were really gelling. When (Colby) Armstrong was in the lineup, me and him had really good chemistry."

As a university hockey player, he hasn't forgotten his V-Reds' roots. He talks to UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall frequently and sent the team a "good luck" email before the Nationals began.

When UNB beat the McGill Redmen 4-0 in the final, Boyce was watching with several Toronto teammates at the home of his agent, Don Meehan - a McGill grad.

"After we (UNB) scored, I spotted Donnie a goal," Boyce said. "I don't know what he owes me but hopefully it's something good. It was exciting to watch. I totally get the enthusiasm that Gardiner was going through at the end of the game.

"I still know a few of the guys...Ryan Seymour, Jordan Clendenning, Hepper (Josh Hepditch), Lachlan MacIntosh and Spencer Corcoran, who's from P.E.I. I'm happy for all of them."