Forward Charlie Coyle was 10 minutes away from leaving for the airport to depart for a two-game road trip with the Wild on Feb. 20 when he checked his cellphone and saw a missed call and text message from General Manager Paul Fenton.
"I knew," Coyle said.
Instead of traveling to New York with the Wild, Coyle eventually ended up in St. Louis, where he met up with his new squad — the Bruins — after he was traded to Boston in exchange for winger Ryan Donato.
And while the change signaled a dream come true for the Massachusetts native, leaving Minnesota was still tough for the 27-year-old after playing his entire NHL career up to that point for only the Wild.
"I loved it," Coyle said. "It feels like a second home. I was there for six, seven years. Met a lot of people. Great relationships. I love the organization, the staff, everyone. They made it fun to come to the rink every day and just have a good time."
Coyle was back at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday with the Bruins, his 20th game since the trade — a span in which Boston has utilized the versatility that headlined Coyle's skills while with the Wild.
After starting at center, Coyle moved to right wing amid injuries, but he's now back up the middle in the position the Bruins envision him playing long-term.
Through his first 19 games, Coyle tallied two goals and six points.