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Rangers' Dan Boyle: 'I'm not just here to fade into the sunset. I'm here to win'

Rocky Widner / Getty

The New York Rangers signed veteran defenseman Dan Boyle to improve their power play and add another veteran presence to a roster flush with youth, but the 38-year-old insists he has more to offer.

“I want to be clear that I’m not just here to fade into the sunset. I’m here to win," Boyle told the Journal News' Rangers Report. "Even before they went on their run last year to the Cup Final, this is where I wanted to be. I do take pride in helping the younger guys out, but I’m here to work and play and make a difference on the ice.”

New York was ineffective with the man advantage in the postseason, going 36 consecutive opportunities without a goal during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. Boyle has 281 power-play points in 954 career regular-season games, but his usage and production have declined steadily over the last five seasons.

One factor offsetting Boyle's lagging production is the offensive style of game favored by Rangers coach Alain Vigneault. Boyle is a blue-liner who prefers to play with the puck on his stick, which fits well with Vigneault's gameplan.

“You know what I was brought here for and what my attributes are and I like to think I’ll be able to help out," Boyle said. "This team likes to play an offensive type of game and that’s exactly what I want to do. Get the puck out of our zone as quickly as we can and spend as much time in their zone as possible.”

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