As the NHL offseason begins to wind down, the number of players skating together at the Ice Den continues to increase.
Informal skates or not, Coyotes center Travis Boyd compete to win.
That internal drive has helped Boyd, who inked a two-year extension with Arizona last March, set career-bests last season in games played (74), goals (17), assists (18), points (35) and average time on ice (16:31), among other categories.
The 28-year-old plans to contribute even more this season, and he’s been practicing with teammates, former teammates, and even other NHL players who are training in The Valley throughout the summer.
“Everyone’s ultra-competitive, so you get out there and you start playing some 3-on-3 games or whatever, and you want to win,” Boyd said after a recent session at the Ice Den. “You don’t want to get embarrassed; you want to go out there and do your best. They’re really good skates, and they should pay dividends once training camp gets going.”
Following his senior year at the University of Minnesota – where he played two seasons with the new Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad – Boyd spent three seasons with the Washington Capitals and one split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks before landing in Arizona.
His time with each of those teams was mostly in a bottom-six role (or in the AHL), and when he arrived in the desert a little over a year ago, things started out on the same path.
That’s when Boyd elevated his play, centering one of the Coyotes’ most productive lines Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The rapid progression of his game not only helped him finish fifth on the team with 35 points, but also earned him the aforementioned extension.
It was a long time coming.
“I just wanted an opportunity going into last year, and I was lucky enough to get it,” Boyd said. “What I’m most proud about is just taking advantage of that opportunity, showing that I can play in that role, and it makes me even more excited for this year by just looking back and thinking where I started last year as a player. “
His steady rise in production was no accident. After recording just one point in the month of October, Boyd notched seven points in 12 November games, five points in six December games, and another seven points in 13 January games.
That maturation came naturally, and as the point output started to increase, so did his confidence level.
“If you look at where I started the year in October and November, and the plays I was making — or not making for that matter — compared to March and April of last year, it was night and day difference,” Boyd said. . “Obviously Keller and Schmaltz are elite, really good players, but at the same time, I think I’ve always viewed myself as someone who can play with those players and fit right in.”
That progress did come with some unintended consequences, as well. Boyd’s increased time on ice throughout last season took its toll, so that made skating and conditioning a focal point of his offseason routine.
It’s much needed, too, because his presence brings a stability to the Coyotes that’s meaningful not only to Boyd, but also to his teammates. In turn, the Hopkins, Minn. native said he expects the club to surprise some of the pundits this season, especially as the team’s younger players look to advance in their development.
“There’s a lot of young guys here, and those young guys got a lot of experience last year,” Boyd said. “They played in some pretty big roles, and I would expect those young guys to hopefully take a step forward as well.”
This season marks a lot of new territory for the Coyotes, who are set to move into their temporary home, Arizona State’s Mullett Arena, when the season begins this fall.
Despite the unknowns, though, Boyd is excited to be a constant in the desert for the next few years, and is looking forward to what the upcoming season has to offer.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that hockey, and the NHL, will survive here. I’m excited,” Boyd said. “I expect that arena to be packed every night, and I expect it to be loud.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun to play in those games.”
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