Eagles in the NHL, Part 1

The first installment of a few, here is a look at where Boston College men's hockey alumni have landed in the NHL. The research and player bios courtesy of our guest blogger and good friend christian.

Christian: Hey everyone! If you’re a BC sports fan, you are well aware of some of our great standouts that have made it to the pros in recent years, most notably Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, of course the Super Bowl winning Chris Snee. But lost in the shuffle are all of our immensely talented hockey players that make their way to the NHL. With 5 trips to the National title game and 1 Championship win in the last 10 years, you would certainly think some of these guys would make it to the next level. Of course some have had more success than others, but more than you probably realize have been playing in the NHL. And without further ado, here is your first installment of Where Are They Now? BC Hockey Edition.


Brian Boyle C (2003-2007), Los Angeles Kings

Boyle just got the call-up to the big leagues from the Manchester Monarchs and played his first NHL game on Feb 2nd of this year. Through his first 6 games, Brian has 4 G, 1A, and a +4 rating. I read that not too long ago the management was thinking about moving him to defense, in which case he may not see much action for a while. Looks like that's not the case, seeing as how is NHL career is underway. Unless, of course, that’s the reason he was just assigned back to Manchester two days ago. Either way, with a stat line like his in those first few games, don’t be surprised if his time away from the Kings is a short one.

Chuck Kobasew RW (2000-2001), Boston Bruins

After winning the National Title with BC in his freshman year, Kobasew left BC to head to the NHL; and seemingly for good reason. The 14th overall pick in the 2001 draft by Calgary, Chuck saw NHL action after playing only a year in the WHL. Starting in the 2002-2003 season when he was called up, Kobasew was a mainstay with the Flames for 3 seasons before being traded to the Bruins in the middle of last season. Never a true standout with the Flames, he has already tallied 19 G and 12 this season for Boston through 56 games, 1 G and 2A shy of his season highs with Calgary. It looks like Chuck just needs to play in Boston to find true success.

Brian Gionta RW (1997-2001), New Jersey Devils

A three time Hobey-Baker finalist and member of the 2001 National Championship team at BC, Gionta has emerged as a fan-favorite in Jersey. After a brief stint with the River Rats in the AHL, Brian played in 33 NHL games his first season out of college. Proving once again that he is a champion, Gionta helped the Devils win their 3rd Stanley Cup by tallying 9 points in 24 playoff games. In the 2005-2006 season, Gionta scored a team record 48 G (including 19 PP goals, also a team record), and also proving that he's a favorite amongst his teammates after they named him team MVP that year. The following season saw Brian plagued with injuries, and he started this season slow as well, but he's now recorded a point in each of the last 5 games. Unfortunately, Brian's name has come up in recent trade rumors, but all will be settled with the trade deadline fast approaching. This Devils fan is certainly hoping his Brian Gionta jersey doesn't soon become out-dated, though!

Patrick Eaves RW (2002-2005), Carolina Hurricanes

Eaves' career with the Eagles almost ended before it began when he suffered a horrific neck injury during a game against Maine on December 7, 2002. But that didn't stop Eaves from coming back and soaring. As soon as he left BC in 2005, he played 58 games for the Senators in the 05-06 season, who made him the 29th overall pick in 2003, scoring 20 goals. Unfortunately, this season again finds Eaves nagged by neck and shoulder injuries in what one can only assume is in some part due to his freshman year injury at Boston College. Most recently, however, Patrick was involved in a trade with defenseman Joe Corvo, sending both players to the Hurricanes for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore. Hopefully Eaves can pick up where he left off once he is fully recovered.

Bobby Allen D (1997-2002), Boston Bruins

Another member of the '01 National Champion team, Allen has seen limited NHL action since he left the Heights. He's bounced around the AHL, playing for Hamilton, Toronto, Albany, and most recently, Providence. While he was drafted by the Bruins, Bobby Allen's first NHL game came during the 2002-2003 season while playing for the Edmonton Oilers. He has since been reclaimed as a free agent by Boston and played in a handful of games this season. He has 3 A in his 47 game NHL career. While still with the team, he has not played since December 22nd, mostly due to injury.



Check back next Wednesday for part 2.