Adam McQuaid has broken his silence.
The NHL defenseman was traded from the Boston Bruins to New York Rangers on Sept. 11 for defenseman Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-round pick and a conditional seventh-round pick.
McQuaid spent the last nine seasons with the B’s, and was an integral part of the 2011 Stanley Cup team. He was a big body who had a tremendous presence on the ice and never was afraid to drop the gloves. But Boston was carrying eight defensemen, so the Bruins decided to trade the veteran blueliner.
And even though he hails from Prince Edward Island, the 31-year-old said Bruins fans always made him feel at home in Boston and he never felt unappreciated.
“It’s really hard to sum things up, to be honest with you. I’d like to say a wholehearted thank you. A from-the-bottom-of-my-heart thank you,” McQuaid said in an interview with The Athletic’s Joe McDonald. “I felt embraced by the fans right from the get-go. 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.
“And Boston fans appreciate that. I always felt supported, and not only in the arena, but when I was out and about people were always so friendly and kind to me and stuck with the team.”
McQuaid noted he remembered how passionate the fan base was during his first full season with the Black and Gold when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.
“I’ll never forget the day we won and we had that parade and the people that came out, the number of people that came out and also the excitement level,” McQuaid said. “You could see the passion and how much it meant to people. I was fortunate it was my first full year, so I was able to understand it and appreciate just how passionate Bruins fans are for their team.”
McQuaid played in 462 games for the Bruins totaling 13 goals and 53 assists with a whopping 652 penalty minutes. The defenseman will be reunited with his former team Jan. 19 when the Rangers visit the TD Garden.
