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Bruins trade Adam McQuaid to the New York Rangers

September 11, 2018, 11:23 AM ET [33 Comments]
Anthony Travalgia
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Bruins have traded defenseman Adam McQuaid to the New York Rangers in exchange for Steven Kampfer, a 4th-round draft pick in 2019 and a conditional 7th-round pick in 2019.

After being traded by the Anaheim Ducks in March of 2010, Kampfer spent three seasons in the Bruins organization, bouncing back and forth between Providence and Boston. Kampfer played in 48 NHL games for the Bruins, scoring five times and adding seven assists.

The 29-year old Kampfer spent the last two seasons with the Rangers, appearing in 32 games with just three points. Kampfer is on the final year of a two-year, two-way deal with a cap hit of $650,000.

McQuaid has been with the Bruins since he was drafted and traded by the Blue Jackets in 2005. As McQuaid grew his game, he developed into a reliable defenseman for the team. Staying healthy has always been McQuaid's biggest issue, however. Last season McQuaid appeared in just 38 games as a broken fibula caused the veteran to miss most of the season. He's yet to appear in more than 77 games in a single season.

"It's a very difficult day, we want to thank Adam," general manager Don Sweeney said Tuesday morning. "He was a tremendous Bruin, a tremendous teammate."

This move comes as a smart one for Sweeney. The trade clears up $2.1 million in cap space, while paving the way for some clarity on the Bruins blue line. Before the trade, the Bruins were entering camp with eight NHL ready defensemen. With Kampfer on a two-way deal and likely starting the season in Providence, Bruce Cassidy and his team have some easier decisions to make.

"It's tough to see him go. 10 years we've been together, going back to Providence," added Cassidy. "Today was a tough morning, we'll miss him,"

With McQuaid gone, the Bruins will certainly lose some of the toughness they've had during McQuaid's tenure in Boston.

I would imagine the Bruins don't expect much out of Kampfer who has struggled to find consistent playing time at the NHL level. The trade also allows prospects like Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril to move up the depth chart and opens the door for potential NHL debuts this season.

Like McQuaid, Kampfer is a right-handed defenseman. The Bruins now have approximately $5 million in cap space remaining.
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