Being from Boston, I’ve been asked quite a bit about Peter Chiarelli since Edmonton hired him. Naturally, I’ve also been asked about a number of Boston players potentially being a fit in Edmonton too. The most common player I’m asked about? Probably Milan Lucic. After that? Adam McQuaid, easily.
The Bruins have had good defensive units for years, and McQuaid has been a part of that. He provides that toughness and is part of the Bruins’ physical identity. That said, does he fit in Edmonton? After being asked frequently enough, I decided to look into it.
Why Is He Out There:
The Bruins are in cap hell, and will need to re-sign Dougie Hamilton this summer. Not only that, but they will also need to find a top-six forward, and a top-four defender to replace Johnny Boychuk. That’s not an easy task. As a result, some pending free agents will not be brought back.
Adam McQuaid, the 28 year old defender, is one of those pending UFA’s that could possibly be cut loose. Rumors out of Boston suggest that will be the case too, but we’ll see what new GM Donny Sweeney does. My bet? He goes to market.
What Does He Do Well:
Adam McQuaid is so old school it hurts. He’s a massive man, standing in at 6’5” and 209 pounds. He’s also tough as they come. He’s a physical presence who throws his body around without hesitation. He’s tough to play against, and is feared by opponents. He is willing to drop the gloves as well, making him a bit of an enforcer type.
Like most physical defenders, McQuaid plays a simple game. He’s not going to rush the puck up like PK Subban, but rather he’s going to simply move it out of the zone and dump it in when he gets into trouble carrying the puck. He’s not a good offensive defender, but he is able to make and take a pass at this level.
He’s sound defensively, there isn’t much debating that. He’s excellent at clearing the front of the net, and is good along the boards when it comes to battling. He’s not the quickest guy, so he can be beaten on the rush, but he knows his position well, and makes up for it with smart plays.
When it comes to breaking up the cycle, his physical ability and smarts allow him to be an effective presence on the ice most of the time. He’s a strong penalty killer as well, which is obviously valuable.
The knocks on McQuaid? He’s inconstant to a degree, and his point totals are almost nonexistent. He also doesn’t handle massive minutes, only averaging 18:26 a night this past season.
If I had to compare him to a player on the Oilers, I’d say he is a better version of Andrew Ference at this stage of his career. Think of him as a solid number five or six defender in the NHL.
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play:
Adam McQuaid would probably be Edmonton’s fourth or fifth best defender, meaning he’d either slide in as the complementary piece on the second pairing, or as the featured guy on the third pairing. I don’t think he can handle top-four minutes, so this role might be too much for him.
Ideally, Adam McQuaid plays the role of a third-pairing defender who brings the physical element and is key on the PK. He’s not a featured piece.
What Will He Cost:
He’ll probably want somewhere in the neighborhood of two or three years at $2.5-$3 million per. He’s only 28, so the term is totally possible, while the money makes sense because everyone gets paid in free agency. Add to the fact that he was on a Cup team and is a favorite in Boston and yeah, overpay coming up.
Personally, I think it’s touch much money for a third-pairing defender.
Closing Arguments:
Adam McQuaid checks off a lot of things the Oilers are looking for. He’s big, he’s tough and physical, tough to play against, and is a shut-down defender. The problem is, he’s a 5/6/7 D, and the Oilers have plenty of those types already.
The holes in Edmonton are in the top-four, and he doesn’t fill that role. I’ve talked to a few Bruins observers about this, and they agree. My own eyes, from watching the B’s throughout the years, back these statements up too. McQuaid just doesn’t fill the holes on this depth chart.
Unless Chiarelli dumps Keith Aulie, Nikita Nikitin, Andrew Ference and Justin Schultz, I just don’t see a way to add McQuaid in a spot that makes sense.
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