I don't think anyone is arguing that it is the missing piece.. i think the people that like it are having an easier time recognizing that this group doesn't have and has not had much leadership in recent years...and this is a guy that can potentially fill that intangible void.. for a sort of low end signing i really like this one.. yes it is underwhelming when compared to shattenkirk but it doesn't make it a non consequential move..
If people want to be excited by the move, that's fine, but to me, it's signing another fourth liner for the fourth line carousel we've been riding for years. To me, that's not particularly consequential. I'm not really looking for an argument, just stating my perspective, which was apparently offensive and controversial to some, even though I would have considered my observation that signing a fourth liner is a meh move fairly generic and neutral.
You can also talk about the Devils needing leadership, but it's very telling about our team if we are looking to an incoming fourth liner to provide that. That should be coming from star players and players with letters on their jerseys. I would agree that there has been a leadership void on the team especially last season, but people jumped all over me for suggesting as much this season, so it is convenient that the tune is changing now that Boyle has been brought in apparently to fill that role. It's not a bad signing per say, just a very boring one for just another fourth liner type.
Bottom line I think it's a basically insignificant move. I wouldn't wring my hands over it, but I wouldn't clap them over it either. As I say, I just sort of shrugged at the signing. I think people are interpreting that more negatively than I mean.