The Bruins traded Adam McQuaid to the New York Rangers for defenseman Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-round pick and a conditional seventh-round pick on Sept. 11.
McQuaid, affectionately called ‘Quaider’ or ‘Darth Quaider’ by diehard Bruins fans, played for the Bruins for his entire 11-year NHL career and was a core member of the 2011 Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins team. The 6-foot-4 and 196 pound defenseman was never afraid to drop the gloves and stand up for his teammates.
“It’s really hard to sum things up, to be honest with you,” McQuaid said in an interview with Joe McDonald of The Athletic. “I’d like to say a wholehearted thank you. A from-the-bottom-of-my-heart thank you”
McQuaid said Bruins fans made him feel welcome while he played in Boston.
“I felt embraced by the fans right from the get-go,” McQuaid said. “I always felt, and I’ve said before, people appreciated guys that show up, work hard and maybe aren’t the most skilled guys, but they work hard, aren’t afraid to play physical.”
In a recent postgame interview with CBC, McQuaid said the transition was a tough adjustment, but he’s felt lots of support from the cities of Boston, New York, and his hometown on Prince Edward Island.
