WILMINGTON, Mass. — Adam McQuaid is about to take over Matt Hunwick's spot on the Bruins' defense, but he knows better than to try to assume Hunwick's role.
"It's an opportunity," said McQuaid. "I'm not going to try to change too much. I'm obviously not going to step in and replace the things Hunny did, but just play my own game and hopefully secure a spot here."
Hunwick, who was traded to Colorado on Monday, was Boston's best skater on the blue line, a defender who relied on his skill and speed to play the position. McQuaid plays the same position but a very different game. He keeps things simple, a stay-at-home defenseman who uses his size and toughness to intimidate.
That's the same style McQuaid plans to bring to the lineup when he returns to action on Wednesday in Philadelphia. He insists he isn't going to worry about trying to replace the elements Hunwick added to the defense.
"I'm not going to try to think about it too much," said McQuaid. "I've got enough to worry about as it is, right? What I've done in the past has gotten me to where I am at now. I don't think they're going to expect me to change anything, just keep playing the way I have and hopefully I'll be able to contribute a little bit more but still just play a solid, simple game."
McQuaid, 24, has taken advantage of others' misfortune before. He filled in late last year when Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Mark Stuart were felled by various injuries, dressing for 19 games in the regular season and nine more in the playoffs. And he stepped in again this year for 10 games when Johnny Boychuk was sidelined with a fractured forearm.
His steady play in those extended auditions gave the Bruins enough confidence in him to deal Hunwick to create the salary cap space needed to activate Marc Savard from long-term injured reserve. That puts McQuaid into a regular role after beginning the season as the club's seventh defenseman.
McQuaid was a healthy scratch for the first six games of the year before Boychuk was injured, and has been relegated to the press box for the last six games since Boychuk returned. But the Bruins will now be carrying just six defensemen for the foreseeable future, guaranteeing McQuaid a spot in the lineup for now.
"I'm looking forward to getting back in," said McQuaid, who has one assist and is second on the team with three fighting majors despite playing in just 10 games. "It's been a little while again, so it'll be nice to get back in and hopefully get a winning streak going.
"It can be mentally tough when you're in and out of the lineup and from game to game not sure if you're going to play or not," added the 6-foot-5, 209-pounder. "But I think if anything it's made me mentally tougher. Being here all year practicing has been helpful too."
Bruins coach Claude Julien agrees. When asked what part of his game McQuaid had most improved this year, Julien answered, "Probably confidence."
"He was basically playing very safe last year, didn't want to make mistakes," continued Julien. "This year he's gotten more confidence and that confidence comes from having more experience. That's probably what's changed most about his game."
That and the fact that he no longer has wonder whether or not he'll be in the lineup every night.
