After a 13-year, 725 game career, defenseman Johnny Boychuk announced his retirement on November 25, with his final goal coming in December 2019. He scored 54 goals in his time with the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders. Many of these were blasts from the blue helping him earn the nickname “Johnny Rocket.” His last goal was no exception, coming back on December 19 in his old home, TD Garden. To help close the book on a great career, let’s break it down.

The play began with Boychuk’s longtime defense partner Nick Leddy bringing the puck up ice. The two were the Islanders’ top defense pair at times after being acquired within minutes of each other. Leddy slid the puck to Islanders captain Anders Lee to move into the corner and set up the offense. Lee’s front-of-the-net style made him a beneficiary of Boychuk’s point blasts. Boychuk assisted on 11 of Lee’s goals during their time as teammates. Lee moved the puck behind the net to Jordan Eberle. Like Boychuk, Eberle was a splash acquisition by former general manager Garth Snow that has worked out. A couple of quick stickhandles and Eberle dropped it back to the point before Charlie McAvoy can make a play on him. McAvoy and Boychuk both blocked over 300 shots in their first three seasons wearing the spoked B.

As the puck moved back to the point, Boychuk stepped up to unload one of his patented clap bombs. No hesitation, just a blast that beats Tuukka Rask to the glove side. Rask and Boychuk were teammates in Boston for five seasons and Providence the year before that. Both received Calder Trophy votes in 2009-10 and both lifted the Stanley Cup in 2011. Screening Rask were Lee and Matt Grzelcyk, who played 84 AHL games in Providence before becoming an NHL regular, four more than Boychuk.

To recap, Leddy drew the attention of all five Bruins on the far side of the ice. Through quick passes, the Islanders were able to get the puck around the boards to the near-side point for an open Boychuk blast. That went through five players on its way behind a screened Rask.

It was the final goal in Boychuk’s career but it was a memorable one. In the building and city he built his career against the team he raised the Cup with, Boychuk scored a goal that helped the Islanders defeat Boston for the first time in eight matchups. Of course, it came the way so many of his other 53 career goals came; a blast from the point. It was a fitting final tally for a guy who meant so much to multiple organizations.

John Smark