Going Home Again?

Dustin Boyd, born in Winnipeg and drafted by the Calgary Flames, made the decision to sign another one-year contract with Barys Astana in his home country of Kazakhstan. If that last portion of the previous sentence sounds odd, Boyd made the effort to ascertain Kazakhstani citizenship to play for the country in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics as Kazakhstan looked to add some established talent to their lineup at the Olympics. Regardless of his home country, the Canadian-Kazakhstani professional hockey player will suit up for the Astana-based KHL squad for eighth season in the Kazakhstan capital.

While the last few seasons have seen him shuffled between Moscow Dynamo and Barys Astana, Boyd has always been a fairly consistent performer with Barys Astana. His 112 goals and 132 assists in 396 KHL games over his eight-year career in the KHL is solid, but he has missed a handful of games in 2016-17 after breaking his leg in a preseason game that limited him to just 30 games that year. His last two seasons that saw him play 53 games in Moscow before returning to Astana for 51 games were certainly his least productive, combining for just 14 goals and 20 assists in 104 games.

The key for Boyd's play seemed to be his linemates as he was dynamic with both Nigel Dawes and Brandon Bochenski, but Bochenski retired after Boyd signed with Dynamo while Dawes signed with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg last season and continued his torrid scoring pace. Boyd's season last year saw him suit up for 51 games with Astana after signing with them in the off-season only to be sent back to Dynamo Moscow late in the season on loan before rejoining Barys Astana for a solid playoff run that saw the team make the Gagarin Cup semi-finals. Like two star-crossed lovers, Boyd signed another one-year pact with Astana this off-season as he'll work to restore his game to his previous level to help Barys find new heights.

I'm happy for Dustin Boyd. For a kid who couldn't find a spot with Calgary before being shuffled off to Nashville and Montreal, he has fund a home in Kazakhstan and has done very well for himself. While the distance between his hometown and his new home isn't easily navigated, he certainly has made a name for himself as both a hockey player and Kazakhstani citizen in his time in the KHL. Here's hoping he finds some magic with Astana again this season in his ninth KHL campaign.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!