Devils' Boyle 'progressing' but won't rush back into lineup

Brian Boyle is taking things one step at a time.

After New Jersey Devils head coach John Hynes declared Boyle a possibility for opening night, the veteran forward - who was recently diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia - is tapping the brakes

"The bottom line is, it's progressing," Boyle said Monday, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com. "I said (on Sept. 19) that I wanted to play in the season opener, because doesn't everyone? But it's not the be-all, end-all if it didn't happen. Even if I'm cleared to practice with the team, I'm not just going to jump in. I need to get my own training here at some point and get into situations that are real instead of just skating."

Boyle has been skating on his own to date, and wants to make sure he can contribute when he joins his fellow Devils on the ice for game action.

"I haven't bumped or hit anyone, and that's a huge part of your conditioning, so that's still something hanging over my head so that when I come back, I want to have an impact," he said. "I'm doing everything I can now to make sure that happens, but it's going to take some time."

Boyle signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Devils as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He scored 13 goals and added 12 assists in 75 games last season split between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Copyright (C) 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.