NHL Veteran Brian Boyle Diagnosed with Leukemia

Doctors believe the disease is treatable.

Devils forward Brian Boyle has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, he told reporters Tuesday. 

The Devils’ team doctor, Michael Farber, said the disease was detected early—through Boyle’s routine preseason bloodwork—and Boyle’s condition is treatable. The 10-year NHL veteran said he looks forward to returning to the ice, perhaps even in the Devils’ season opener on Oct. 7. 

Boyle, 32, was a fan favorite as a fourth-liner when he spent five years with the Rangers. Primarily known for his ability in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill, he had 25 points last season while splitting time between the Lightning and Maple Leafs. 

Boyle’s father was diagnosed with kidney and lung cancer when Boyle was a teen. After being told he had mere months to live, he returned from a trip to Europe and received a clean bill of health. 

“When the puck drops, it seems like the most important thing in the world,” Boyle wrote for ESPN.com in 2014. “But when it comes to people fighting cancer, nothing compares. I think, overall, players realize that and want to show support as much as we can.

“I know I do.”