General manager Bryan Murray failed to land the big fish he was trolling for as the NHL's unrestricted free agency season began July 1.

And that fact could lead him to the Catch 22 he wanted all along.

In search of a puck moving, top four defenseman to replace the departed Wade Redden, Murray came up short with a six-year, $42 million offer to Brian Campbell and then held talks with the agents for Michal Rozsival, Mark Streit and Ron Hainsey. In each case, the player wound up somewhere else.

Murray then stated he would take his available cap money and investigate potential trades, immediately setting off speculation of a pitch for Tampa Bay Lightning's No. 22, Dan Boyle.

An Ottawa native with a six-year, $40 million contract and no trade clause, Boyle has ...More