Brian Boyle has a tremendous turnaround season during the
2010-11 campaign for the New York Rangers due in large measure to his improved
skating from his work with Barbara Underhill last summer. While answering fan questions for Blueshirts
United he announced that he will be working with Underhill again this
summer, which is great news for the potential of him repeating his season again
because his skating improvement created so many opportunities for him. Instead of being a second late he was able to
get in on the forecheck better, use his physical size and strength more both on
and off the puck and his improved speed allowed him to have more scoring
opportunities.
To further the good news, Boyle announced that he is getting
some of his teammates to go with him. He
said that Wojtek Wolski is going with him and that both Brandon Prust and
Michael Del Zotto are possible participants as well. If Underhill can do for any of them what she
did for Boyle it will pay huge dividends for the Rangers on the ice next season. If I had to pick two guys to send to
Underhill it would be Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky. Both players are extremely talented, but both
could use work on becoming better power skaters. For Anisimov it is about strength on the puck
and having a better foundation, which he also needs to get in the weight room
to get. With Dubinsky is more about
refining his stride to improve his speed and cut down on the strain he puts on his
legs with his current one.
It is welcomed news that Boyle is not satisfied with his career year and is still putting in the work necessary to get better. Along with that it is encouraging both from a leadership standpoint and a team unity one that he is getting some of his teammates to get in on what worked so well for him and his career.
Check out the video of Boyle answering those questions and more:
Check out the video of Boyle answering those questions and more:
