Brian Boyle’s feel-good story heads to Nashville after Devils trade

The rebuilding Devils traded a respected and inspirational part of their present on Wednesday for a chance to build for the future — dealing 2017 Masterton Trophy winner Brian Boyle to the Predators for a second-round pick in this June’s NHL draft.

Boyle, 34, thus gets a chance to win a Stanley Cup with the Western Conference power Predators — though New Jersey loses a notably tough and admired center, who had been diagnosed in September 2017 with chronic myeloid leukemia and returned to action just 43 days later.

Earlier this season, Boyle announced that his cancer was in full remission.

“We want to thank Brian for his time here, as he was a big part in helping establish the culture we now have in place,” said Devils executive VP and GM Ray Shero.

“His leadership, dedication and determination served as an inspiration to the entire organization, on and off the ice.”

Boyle spent the past two seasons with the Devils, scoring 26 goals and 16 assists in 116 games. He also played for the Rangers from 2009-2014, competing in the 2014 Stanley Cup final. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder was drafted 26th overall in 2003 by the Kings, and also played with the Lightning.

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He won the 2017 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy — given to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

After his September 2017 cancer diagnosis, Boyle made his season debut on Nov. 1 and went on to play 69 games last season, scoring 13 goals and 10 assists — all while undergoing treatment.

In October, Boyle announced the cancer was in “full molecular remission, and I feel really good.”

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would mean this much to me,” Boyle said on Wednesday of his time with the Devils, as reported by nj.com.

“I dive in and I try to make the most of the situations I’m in. I don’t really hold a whole lot back, so if you know me, you know where I stand on pretty much everything. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe how last year went. How it felt the first couple weeks and where it finished. It was just a tremendous year I was very, very blessed to be a part of.”

Boyle goes from a 20-25-7 Devils team that’s in last place in the Metropolitan Division to a second-place Predators squad at 32-19-4 with a chance to make noise in the playoffs.

The pick the Devils acquired for Boyle gives them eight in the upcoming draft, including one first-rounder, two second-rounders (their own and now Nashville’s), Anaheim’s third-rounder and the club’s original selections in rounds four through seven.