NLL Insider

The former NLL rookie of the year’s numbers mighta dipped a bit in 08, but Ryan Boyle still served a pretty vital role on the New York Titans’ offense last winter and remains one of the smartest ball players in the game today.

Boyle’s partnership with Casey Powell helped push the Titans into last year’s eastern final, while has reputation continues to grow as one of the best up and coming playmakers in the NLL today.

Powell might be considered by many to be the best American playing the indoor game, but after both CP and Boyle’s first 48, the Princeton legend has last year’s MVP finalist beat.

After 48 games in, roughly three seasons worth of ball, Boyle has posted an impressive 190 points to Powell’s 183, not missing a game after or before those first 48.

And although Boyle is considered more of a playmaker versus pure scorer, don’t think for a second Ryan can’t rip it up too. During a pivotal couple weeks in March, which saw New York go from sub .500 pretenders to one of the hottest teams in the league, Boyle crippled the Wings and Rock with a combined eight goals and 13 points, helping send New York into an end of year surge that saw them go 6-1 to close up reg season shop.

Boyle’s the kinda guy that as a fan, you really gotta just stop and watch, with or without the ball, to get a feel for how he help makes the Titans’ O click, even just for a single shift. Actually, watching him without the ball, staying a step ahead of everyone else on the court when he barely seems part of the play, but then feeds an insane cross court pass outta his back pocket is what’s most impressive about Ryan. Predictable Ryan Boyle is not.

Boyle might not be the next Gary Gait (who is though), but apparently in the kitchen he’s the next Barefoot Contessa, cookin’ up the boys in Cali and NY some of the best stuff they’ve ever seen come out of a kitchen. It’s a rare combo you don’t usually see in this sport, but they say Ryan can handle a stick and a whisk better than anyone in the NLL. Show me another guy in this year’s top 50 with that on their resume!!

Check out a pretty rad behind the scenes vid with Boyle and Press Pass TV during a game against Minnesota last year.

Does Boyle belong in the NLL Insider Top 50? Hit the boards and let us know what your Top 50 looks like heading into the 2009 NLL season…

#50 Matt Roik, San Jose Stealth
#49 Jon Sullivan, Minnesota Swarm
#48 Billy Dee Smith, Buffalo Bandits
#47 Steve Toll, Rochester Knighthawks
#46 Jarett Park, New York Titans
#45 Bruce Murray, Colorado Mammoth
#44 Shawn Evans, Rochester Knighthawks
#43 Peter Lough, Toronto Rock
#42 Matt Vinc, New York Titans
#41 Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks
#40 Craig Point, Minnesota Swarm
#39 Scott Ranger, Calgary Roughnecks
#38 Brian Langtry, Colorado Mammoth
#37 Sean Pollock, Minnesota Swarm
#36 Jake Bergey, Boston Blazers
#35 Pat O’Toole, Rochester Knighthawks
#34 Kyle Sweeney, Philadelphia Wings
#33 Luke Wiles, Toronto Rock
#32 Ryan Boyle, New York Titans

Hit this link for NLL Insider’s Top 50 archive and keep checkin’ back every week as we countdown the top 50 best in the pro game, with #1 being named just before the NLL season kicks off.

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