Adam McQuaid made a U-turn and wound up with the Rangers
New York Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid (54) speaks to the media after testing. The New York Rangers hold on ice testing at their practice facility, 711 Old Saw Mill River Rd., Tarrytown, NY on Sept.14, 2018. Credit: Corey Sipkin
Adam McQuaid thought he was going to China with the Bruins on Tuesday. He ended up getting rerouted to New York.
McQuaid never got on the plane to China for the Bruins’ two preseason games against the Calgary Flames this weekend. He instead was traded to the Rangers for depth defenseman Steven Kampfer and a couple of draft picks: a fourth-rounder in 2019 and a conditional seventh-rounder.
“I guess you can never be too surprised’’ to be traded, McQuaid said Friday as the Rangers started training camp with their on-ice testing. “I showed up at the rink thinking I was going to China, so the timing of it was a little surprising. But I’ve been treated so well since I got here and I’m really excited to be here.’’
The 6-4, 212-pound McQuaid, 31, played nine seasons for the Bruins (and won a Stanley Cup) as a physical, stay-at-home defenseman who didn’t mind fighting when necessary. The Rangers hope McQuaid brings all of those attributes with him to the Garden.
“I try and be a steady presence and be physical when the opportunity is there,’’ he said. “Try and make a good first pass. At the same time, hopefully I can be a good example for guys off the ice. I’ve been around a little while. Hopefully, I can bring some experience.
“Hopefully, there’ll be different ways I’ll be able to help the younger guys.’’
A broken leg limited him to 38 games last season, but he said he’s healthy now and promised he’ll be the same physical player he was in Boston.
McQuaid is going from a team in Boston that thought of itself as a Stanley Cup contender to a Rangers club that has said it is rebuilding. When asked if he will have to adjust his mindset, he said he doesn’t look at it that way.
“I never really thought of this team — I know they traded a lot of guys there at the deadline last year — but I didn’t really see this team as a rebuilding team,’’ he said of the Rangers. “I think there’s a ton of skill and potential there, even if it is a younger team.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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