Over the past year and a half Brian Boyle has won his way into the hearts of hockey fans everywhere. His cancer scare reminded us of the issues that are bigger than sport, and his inspirational return to hockey reflected that even further.
Of course, sports are important too, and they can come with great moments of their own. The New Jersey Devils, who have not played playoff hockey since 2012, officially clinched a playoff berth and will be joining the other qualifiers in the extended season. This moment was already full of emotion, but good guy Brian and his son Declan added to the moment with an adorable interaction.
It adds to Boyle’s rollercoaster year. There were obviously a lot of negatives surrounding the diagnosis, but the rallying of his team and the Devils’ fans was also very touching. Of all the people for it to happen to, Boyle would be the person to deal with it with grace and hope. The emotional veteran continues to warm our hearts.
