I’m really looking forward to the playoffs again this year. The team is healthy and starting to turn things around after a rough patch. I’m very motivated – again – to help this team get to the next level.

It’s in our hands. When we are on and playing the way we should, I truly think we will be sticking around for a while.

I’m also looking forward to playing with Dougie Murray in these playoffs. We will hopefully get some tough matchups, because we pride ourselves on shutting the other team’s top lines down.

Wish us well, and thanks again to everyone for their support! We really do appreciate it.

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

I know it’s been awhile, but I have been a very busy guy!!!!!

I can now add a gold medal to my list of accomplishments in life. Although this wasn't necessarily a dream of mine growing up, winning a gold medal for my country is something I am very proud of. We rallied together after a tough start to bring home the gold in dramatic fashion. To get scored on with less than a minute left and then win it in overtime is something you only usually see in movies. With Sid scoring that goal, he and the rest of us will be part of a classic for years to come.

It was truly an honor to be chosen and a very rewarding life event that I will never forget.

I also got to spend two weeks with my family, and that alone was worth it.

This gold medal meant everything to our country and that is what pleases me the most. To see 33 million Canadians partying in the streets after the win was awesome.

Now it’s back to work with the Sharks as we get prepared for the playoffs. Hopefully we learned our lesson last year and play with a little more intensity and determination down the stretch as we fight our way into the playoffs.

Nothing means more to me right now than winning another Cup with this very deserving franchise.

I am gonna give it everything I have and hope we are left standing at the end.

Later,

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

I just want to take a quick second to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

On behalf of all the Sharks, we want to thank our fans for showing up every night in '09 and hope for a better ending in 2010.

I am going to take advantage of these three days off to enjoy my family and hopefully allow my body to rest as much as possible. It’s been the toughest year for me yet physically as I have encountered a few bad breaks and look forward to being 100% healthy in 2010.

Looking forward to a great second half!

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Sorry it’s been so long. All the numerous road trips we have been on have taken a lot out of me.

With 1/3 of the season complete, I’m happy with the way we have responded as a team after an average start. We have put some good winning streaks together and have bounced back from ugly games/efforts like our 7-2 Chicago loss last week.

The media has frequently asked me if I was concerned we were peaking too early. I don’t think that is a very smart question. We don’t choose when we want to peak and when we want to struggle. The goal is to go out every night and fight for a win. You can’t just turn it on and off as you please. You put your best effort on every given night and hope you’re in the playoff picture at the end.

Our new additions are doing a great job of fitting in and having an impact on the team, whether it’s scoring goals, killing penalties or just being hard to play against. I like the makeup of our team right now and I’m excited to keep this wheel turning. This is a long season, and we will have our ups and downs but it’s important we stick together and get through it together.

I’m looking forward to being back home with my family and in front of our home crowd. It’s been too long!!

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

It's been a PRETTY HECTIC SCHEDULE so far and I have not had a lot of free time. Our season is under way and we started out 2-2.

I think we have seen two different hockey teams. Our colorado and L.A. games were filled with defensive lapses and mistakes that cost us goals against and therefore losses. On the other hand, the Anaheim game was a complete team effort from start to finish while the Columbus game was a solid 2 periods after a slow start.

I think we're doing the best we can this early into the season in correcting our mistakes and getting better as a team. There are a few new faces and everyone is trying to get this thing pointed in the right direction. One thing I know for sure is that if we WORK HARD and show the willingness to compete in every zone, we will be a very difficult team to beat. If we take a few shifts off, we are going to find the losing column on a consistent basis.

I like our new additions. Our third and fourth lines are providing us with energy and toughness. Our top guys have stepped up their games offensively. Heater is starting to feel and look comfortable out there. Joe is doing what he does best. Seto is finding the back of the net. And Patty is doing a great job of putting his head down, taking the puck to the the net and silencing his critics out there. I'm very happy for him and support him through his difficult times.

That's all for now. We need to start playing with some consistency, night in and night out. We need to challenge ourselves in getting better and better every night and come together as a TEAM and a FAMILY that will stick together through thick and thin as we start our long journey.

Although I have only been here one year, I'm already sick and tired of the "underachieving" comments. It's time to step up and take care of business once and for all.

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

I’m very saddened to see one of my best friends go. Unfortunately, it’s part of the business we are in.

Brad landed in a great city in Vancouver and I hope that he has an amazing season (except against us) and finds a little stability in his life. The moving around is taking a toll on him and his family.

He is a great father and a great friend and I wish him the best.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

I’m very saddened to see one of my best friends go. Unfortunately, it’s part of the business we are in.

Brad landed in a great city in Vancouver and I hope that he has an amazing season (except against us) and finds a little stability in his life. The moving around is taking a toll on him and his family.

He is a great father and a great friend and I wish him the best.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Needless to say, with the Olympic Games in Canada and a disappointing 7th-place finish in ’06, there is all the pressure in the world to win gold.

Anything but would be a failure.

I enjoyed my four days at camp meeting new players and seeing some old but familiar faces of teams past. We had some informative practices in order for us to be ready come Olympic time.

I played the red/white scrimmage paired with Chris Pronger. Not sure if that was an indication of what is to be. There is so much talent on the ice that I don’t really think it matters who I play with.

I’m back in San Jose, eager for camp to start. I can’t wait to officially put last year’s playoff defeat behind me.

Wish me luck!!!!!

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Someone recently left a comment on one of my blogs asking me what my favorite vacation spots are. I don't really have a regular vacation spot where I go back every summer. I usually rotate between Fort Lauderdale, Clearwater and Ottawa (Ontario). I usually do one golf trip and one family trip right after the season. However, with the arrival of our daughter, we did not get to do that this year.

Some of my favorite vacation spots in the past have been Cabo San Lucas, St. Martin, (Caribbean Island), Cypress, and my favorite was a town of 300 people in the South of France called Castellane, where there is the "Gorge de Verdun" which is the most spectacular waterway I have ever seen. We did something called "ramboing," which is whitewater rafting with just your body using a body board ... the best!

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Hi guys,

Hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to take a minute to let everyone know how excited I am for hockey season. It has been a completely different summer for me than the ones in the past. With my daughter in my life now, everything revolves around her. She has been the focus of our lives and we have loved every minute of it. As much as I love playing the game, it’s going to be hard to be away from her on our many upcoming lengthy road trips.

I am now entering the final stage of my summer workouts. After taking a month of rest and then rebuilding my body, I just flew into Ottawa on Monday for 3 weeks with my personal trainer, Tony Greco. This guy is an animal. He is an incredible trainer and a great motivator. I work out with him three times a week and do stuff on my own for another three times a week. I usually rest up on Sundays.

Although it’s very hard, I’m trying to watch what I eat in preparation for camp and another grueling and long season. 

I plan on flying back to San Jose mid-August where I will start skating with the boys over there. Most guys are coming back early this year so we should have a good skate.

See you guys soon.

Dan

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Just a quick note to thank those who voted for me for the end of year All-Star team.

I take a lot of pride in what I do out there and it’s always nice to be appreciated for one's hard work. I never set out or start a season with individual goals (when it comes to stats) but I’m sure that I will look back on some of these accolades with pride when I’m done.

Back to work now!!!!!!

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

Hello everyone. It’s now June and I am writing this on the eve of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

There is nothing more exciting than playing a final game, winner take all for the Stanley Cup. Both teams have put on a good show for the fans, which is great for the continuation and growth of the sport. I am now back in Florida after spending two weeks in Ottawa visiting my family. I’m spending a lot of time with my little girl and it’s been a blast.

I have been getting recognized a little bit lately and a topic that keeps resurfacing has been the element of fighting in the game. Should it or should it not be a part of hockey?

My answer has been and will always be yes.

I believe it does have its benefit to the game. Not only does it create energy and a buzz in the building but it also serves a purpose on the ice. It makes the players responsible for their actions should they choose to walk the fine line. 

Nobody likes to see another player get seriously hurt (a little bit … of course). However, nobody wants to see long term or life threatening injuries. This is a grown man's game and injuries will occur. There needs to be a code of honor that some players unfortunately do not respect. Those players have no place in the sport in my eyes. Those that play tough and fight in the way it was meant to be have all my respect.

I used to fight when I first broke into the league, but now I try to use my hands to put the puck in the net!!!!

I had some really good fights in the minors when I first started. I play with a lot of aggression and my temper got the best of me and things happened occasionally. I would have to say my toughest opponent would probably have to be Cory Sarich (now in Calgary). Oddly enough we would win a Stanley Cup together years later in Tampa.

That’s all for now. See you back in San Jose in August.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.Follow him on Twitter as danboyle22.

It has now been one week since we lost out to the Ducks and I’m still very upset and frustrated about the whole thing.

I feel we missed out on a great opportunity to win this thing with the team we had. These chances don’t come around very often and you need to take advantage of them because things can go south in a hurry (i.e. see Tampa, Ottawa, etc...).

I can't bear to watch another hockey game right now because it is making me sick to my stomach. I’m a very competitive guy and don’t take losing easily.

On a more positive not, we are getting ready to close on a house in Los Gatos. We should be in there within a couple weeks, so that is keeping me busy. I also get to spend time with my beautiful daughter. That has been amazing.

I will check in over the course of the summer and let you know what I’m up to. Hope everyone has a good summer.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.

So now the real season begins.

After 82 long and grueling games, the good stuff is about to start. We have a very difficult task ahead with our first round opponents, the Anaheim Ducks. Although they are an 8th seed, this is not your average team. They are only two years removed from winning the Cup and are very capable of making a run again this year.

They have a very strong goaltending duo in Hillier and Giguere. Two of the top D men in hockey in Pronger and Niedermeyer. Also, they have one of the most feared forward lines in the NHL in Getzlaf-Perry-Ryan.

This will most likely be a very physical series. It has been all year long and will be even more now that it’s playoff time. They are going to give us a very good fight and it’s up to us to meet that challenge.

I hope everyone is ready cuz it’s gonna be a long and bumpy ride.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.

Finally, I have scored again.

God, does that feel good!

We just got back from a successful road trip in Alberta, where we won our two games in Edmonton and Calgary. After 21 long and frustrating games, I finally found the back of the net. Both were scored on the power play.

Even though the most important thing to me is still to be playing well and getting the win, the competitive person in me likes to score goals. As a goal scorer (even though I am a defenseman), it certainly starts to affect one’s play when you go down one of those unfortunate stretches. It starts to influence certain decisions you make on the ice and can even stretch to the point of causing a lack of sleep and stress.

With that said, I’m glad to be back and hope to keep helping this team achieve its goal of winning the Cup. This is my only concern now. That is all I care about!!!!

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.

Just wanted to write in real quick.

We are heading down the home stretch here. We took care of business at home and regained first overall, which would be a great advantage in the playoffs. I still believe we need to play better hockey than we have been lately, though. We need to get back to dominating from the opening faceoff and putting teams away by the end of the first period.

On a separate note, someone asked me who I thought were the best defensemen in the league. Some of the big name D-men get a lot of recognition because of the teams they play on and have great supporting casts.

Others are not so fortunate.

You have to like what Mike Green is doing. We play a very similar style. However, unlike me right now, he is not having a hard time finding the back of the net. Dennis Wideman in Boston is underrated. I like what he does out there. Also, a young player in Pittsburgh with great talent is Kris Letang, who will only get better as he gets more experience.

That's all for now.

Dan Boyle is an All-Star defenseman with the San Jose Sharks. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.danboyle22.com.

Just got back from Phoenix late last night (about 3 a.m.).

Unfortunately for me, I always have a hard time sleeping when I get back from a road trip. I did not get to bed ’til 7 a.m. (thanks to the three cups of coffee I had during the game). We had a 1 p.m. practice today, which was pretty difficult to get up for.

We had a great day off before the Phoenix game. Twelve of us went out to play golf at a course called Whisper Rock in Scottsdale, which is one of the most prestigious courses in the U.S.A.   Jeremy Roenick is a member and hooked us all up for a great day. Not sure how I was going to play after not having hit the links in about six months, and add to the equation that I was using rental clubs and it made for a long and frustrating round. However, with the exception of my driver, I had one of the most consistent rounds of my life. I shot a 79, which included two double bogeys.

Not bad!!!!!!!

Anyhow, it’s nice to be back home and spending time with the family. My brother, sister-in-law and two nephews are coming to visit for the next week. It should be great.

This has been our toughest time of the season.

We have lost four out of the last five and nobody is happy about it. We have lost some key players to injury (Goc, Mitchell, Roenick, Grier, etc...), but as a team we need to overcome this and play better.

While other teams are fighting for their playoff lives, I feel we have been on cruise control for the last month and it’s finally starting to bite us in the #@$!

I had been playing through a wrist injury that has really been bothering me since the all-star break, but I’m happy to report that it is almost back to normal. We need some of our top guys to play better and get this team back in the winning column where we belong.

That’s all for now.