Adam McQuaid (Photo courtesy of Alison M. Foley)
9/11/18…the end of an era. Adam McQuaid was traded to the NY Rangers today for Steven Kampfer, a 2019 4th-round pick and a conditional 7th-rounder.
The truth is- for those who understand the realities of the salary cap world of the NHL, this move was bound to happen, and it’s somewhat surprising that it didn’t occur one or two years ago. The clock started ticking when Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney signed the veteran defender and genuine good guy to a four-year, $2.75 million per contract extension on draft day- June 26, 2015. While some might be loathe to admit, it was the beginning of the end for a nine-year career in the Black and Gold for the former 2nd-round pick-turned Stanley Cup champion in 2011.
For those who got to know him and valued the sheer effort, grit, toughness and character that he exemplified, it is with respect that we bid him farewell as he departs for Broadway and a better opportunity to keep playing at the highest level.
McQuaid, who was originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets out of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves in 2005, was acquired by then-GM Peter Chiarelli for a fifth-round pick prior to the June signing deadline in 2007 (C-bus would subsequently trade that selection to Dallas, who used it to take captain Jamie Benn– go figure), and that unheralded acquisition would go on to give the B’s some very good mileage.
The book on McQuaid was that he was a big, but fairly immobile throwback defender with tremendous toughness and character. A player like him today would be a long shot to even be drafted into the NHL because his boots were so heavy back then, but 13 years ago, the league still had a lot of time for players like him. I liken the continued decline of the “stay-at-home defenseman” (read: big, tough, but skating-deficient player) to the history of the battleships. At one time, those floating fortresses were a staple in navies around the globe, designed to go toe-to-toe with other dreadnoughts on the high seas with its big guns, but eventually rendered obsolete by the implementation of naval airpower and submarines that could kill them at a distance.
McQuaid, who spent a couple of seasons in the AHL with the Providence Bruins, had to put in a lot of work to improve his skating, and in his third pro season, it was starting to look like the lack of mobility might prevent him from ever establishing himself in Boston. However, he got the call during the 2009-10 campaign, and the rest, as they say, is history.
He proved himself as a warrior on ice- willing to do whatever the team required of him, and though his playing style often took a toll on his body, McQuaid was as tough as they come on the Boston blue line during his tenure, he took on all comers, often the other battleships teams around the NHL had on their roster. He blocked shots. He did the tough work along the walls. He didn’t score much, but was the quintessential defensive defenseman in a league that is seeing fewer and fewer open spots for guys at the position who excel only at defense. These days, clubs are placing more and more of a premium on defenders who have the size, skating and skills to impact the game regularly at both ends of the ice. This is not to say that defensive defensemen will become extinct much like the enforcer has, but players like McQuaid will find it harder and harder to establish themselves in the modern NHL and the direction it is evolving into.
In getting to know McQuaid off the ice, he was a quiet, but articulate and engaging person. He seemed to relish his status as a role player- never desiring the spotlight or much of the credit for Boston’s success in his time there, but not shrinking away from the media or treating the process to occasionally give the scribes what they needed as a chore. A few times I would stray away from B’s dressing room scrums to talk to McQuaid because I found that he was not only open and approachable, but had some of the best insights on his teammates and the game writ large. He was the typical hockey player who made time for his community and was great to the fans; look no further than his relationship with Liam Fitzgerald- the famed Boston “Fist Bump Kid” for more on that…and he did it without seeking attention or accolades- it’s just who he is.
But make no mistake- McQuaid’s easy-going demeanor and humble nature belied a simmering, volcanic force of nature if you tried to run one of his guys. More than one NHLer found out the hard way that they had a tiger by the tail when they went toe-to-toe with No. 54.
In the end, it was a parting of ways that was bound to happen, and was several years in the making. As much as the team loved and respected his service, with just one year left on his current deal, re-signing him would have been challenging. 98.5 the SportsHub’s Ty Anderson has an excellent article that is worth reading that breaks it all down. You can be a huge McQuaid fan who was taken by surprise with the announcement, but better understand the reasons behind it after reading Anderson’s piece.
With a defensive unit consisting of Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, John Moore, Kevan Miller and Matt Grzelcyk, where did McQuaid fit? On the wrong side of 30 and having played more than 70 games in a season just twice in his career due to injury (and one lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign), it became the law of diminishing returns for the team and the right thing to do for the player, who would have accepted the likely fate as a healthy scratch, but had earned (and deserved) more than that.
As for Kampfer, he returns to the team that had acquired him from Anaheim in 2010 and was a black ace for during that magical Stanley Cup run a year later. He counts 670k if he’s on the NHL roster, but provides valuable experience and depth plus a $2.75M cap savings if he isn’t. The 4th-round pick recoups the selection the B’s traded away their fourth to Chicago for Tommy Wingels at the last trade deadline. It’s shaping up to be a deep and talented draft at first glance, so that’s a solid asset that the Boston scouting staff should be able to put to good use. We’ll find out somewhere around…2023?
So, the Rangers get a veteran defender who makes them harder to play against. Ryan Spooner gets a friend and teammate to join him on Broadway and the B’s room and culture takes a hit for now. Will the door now open for some of the youthful defenders on the farm in Providence? The answer to that question will come out eventually.
But for now- I’ll just address the newest Ranger and say- thanks for the memories and all the best…except when you’re playing your old club.
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