MCQUAID NOW A RANGER
Cornwall native has spent entire NHL career with Boston Bruins
Cornwall’s Adam McQuaid is on the move.
The Boston Bruins announced Tuesday they traded the veteran physical defenceman to the New York Rangers for former Bruins blue-liner Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-round draft pick and a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick.
McQuaid, who turns 32 in October, has spent his entire 11-year career with the Bruins since being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on May 17, 2007, in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. He helped the team win the 2011 Stanley Cup and make it to the 2013 final.
The six-foot-four, 212-pound defenceman recorded 13 goals and 53 assists for 66 points with 652 penalty minutes in 462 games, but his value to the team goes deeper than the picture statistics can paint.
“It’s tough to see him go ... 10 years we’ve been together, going back to Providence,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy on the Bruins verified Twitter account. “Today was a tough morning. Hopefully he gets a great opportunity to play in New York. We’ll miss him, as a person and as a teammate.”
McQuaid was travelling Tuesday and unable to be reached for comment. He has one year left on his contract at a salary-cap hit of $2.75 million.
NBC Sports Boston reporter Joe Haggerty quoted Hammonds Plains, N.S., native Brad Marchand after the deal was announced.
“An incredible guy off the ice and in the room,” he said. “He’s a great friend, and as a teammate he’d do anything for the team and for each individual player. So, it sucks. It’s unfortunately part of the business.”
Some wondered what the Bruins plans were when they signed defenceman John Moore as a free agent this summer, giving them potentially eight blueliners. The Bruins can also return captain Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Torey Krug, Kevan Miller and Matt Grzelcyk.
Tuesday’s deal helps clarify the situation.
The Bruins made the trade announcement before flying to China for two exhibition games.
Kampfer, 29, has played 166 career NHL games. The five-foot-11, 195-pound blueliner was originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round of the 2007 draft before being traded to the Bruins on March 2, 2010. Kampfer appeared in 38 games with the Bruins in 2010-11, producing a career-high five goals and five assists for 10 points en route to helping the team win the 2011 Stanley Cup. He had two assists in 10 games with Boston the following season.