When the Boston Bruins signed Adam McQuaid to a four year, $11 million contract at the end of June, a lot of the fans wondered why. While McQuaid is certainly a tough customer when he’s healthy, the Bruins know that six-season veteran hasn’t had much luck in that department. He’s had a serious of issues during his career, and it has limited his effectiveness on the ice.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
McQuaid himself wasn’t sure if he’d be resigned. With a turnover that included trading Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton, and letting others slip away into free agency, McQuaid’s resigning certainly wasn’t a lock.
“I can’t say I knew for sure what was going to happen,” said McQuaid early in the weekend. “There was a period of time there where I really wasn’t sure. I never had been told I wasn’t coming back, so I kind of always had that bit of hope, but at the same time, kind of looked at the team — the roster and the situation we were in — and knew it would be a difficult thing [to re-sign].”
Now McQuaid has a challenge in front of him. He believes he’s ready to be one of the Bruins’ top-four defensemen. McQuaid will have a tough uphill climb in front of him. For a player with a history of injuries, and limited production even when healthy (seven points with only one goal in sixty-three games last year), it will be hard for the Bruins to consider him ready for such a role.
Adam McQuaid has been come the blueliner version of Chris Kelly. A player with an expensive contract who may not be able to give the organization what it needs moving forward.
There will be other obstacles for McQuaid moving forward. The Bruins brought on a few players that could fill in the missing top-four slot. McQuaid believes he can be that person, but he’ll heav steady competition. Matt Irwin could end up with the job, either Colin or Kevan Miller (Kevan Miller’s game is identical to McQuaid’s and at one-third the price.) could find themselves in that position, and Torey Krug has been adamant about earning that position for himself.
Puck Prose
This will certainly make it difficult for the 28-year old defenseman to move up the roster of blueliners. Adam McQuaid is still happy to be playing in Boston, and will be happy with whatever role Claude Julien and company assigns him.
“I’ve been here a little while now, and I do want to take the next step. I want to try and bring more to the table, hopefully play a little bit more in a top-four role, but at the end of the day, it’s all about what works within the team and the system, and whatever brings success. They’re putting faith in me, and I want to reward that faith.”