Hockey's new goon: Nick Boynton?

We always knew Nick Boynton was a tough guy back from his Bruins days, but it seems like he's stepped it up a notch this year with the Coyotes. In 11 games, he's racked up very goon-like numbers with 2 points, a -5 plus/minus and a league-leading 51 PIM. 27 of those PIM came in a game against the Kings, but he's also scrapped with Matthew Barnaby and Jordin Tootoo this year.

So what's deal with that? Usually when a player suddenly turns goon, it means that their skills have deteriorated to the point that they need to justify their position on the roster. Usually you see it happen in the minors...not in the big league...so maybe it's just an aberration. While the thought of Boynton's play slipping makes me feel a little better about his off-season trade, Paul Mara (who he was traded for) hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire with his performance either, so it's been a wash to this point.