With the Bruins amidst a season-high 12-game point streak where they’ve put together a 9-0-3 record punctuated by a shootout win over the rival Montreal Canadiens last weekend, there isn’t going to be a push for big changes. Actually there isn’t going to be a push for any changes at this point when it comes to the Black and Gold.
MORE - Cassidy shows why he's the one behind B's bench
So Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid sits and waits for his chance to get back into a red-hot lineup for the first time since getting healthy right before the Christmas holiday. At this point McQuaid has been sitting for weeks while watching The Bruins pairings are truly gelling together with 24-year-old Matt Grzelcyk locking down the bottom B’s pairing with Kevan Miller, and good health abounding on Boston’s back end.
The bottom line is that there’s no spot open right now for a big, strong D-man that’s limited with his puck-moving and offense, but his size, strength and toughness will be a welcome addition when No. 54 does finally get in on some game action.
That continued at Sunday’s Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena with a full, healthy group on the ice, and McQuaid once again expected to sit out for Monday afternoon’s home matinee against the Dallas Stars. It certainly hasn’t been easy for McQuaid chomping at the bit to play, and likewise it’s been difficult for Bruce Cassidy to keep a trusted, tough defensive warrior on the sidelines.
“Right now it’s game-to-game. We’ve talked about maybe going with 7 defensemen, but we haven’t gone down that road since maybe the Tampa game” said Cassidy of McQuaid, who hasn’t played since the middle of October after breaking his leg blocking a shot in a win over the Vancouver Canucks. “We like where our group is right now and we like where our whole team is. It’s just a really tough circumstance when things are going really well.
“I’d be the first to move people around and move pieces around if I thought it would make us a better team, but right now we’re going pretty well. It’s a long year and [McQuaid] will get his chance. He’s earned that right. He’s been a great character guy working hard even though he’s not in the lineup right now, so I’m sure when he gets back in he’ll do a terrific job for us.”
Boston Bruins
The good news for McQuaid is that he’s going to get his chance with the Bruins as a dense second half schedule is very likely to chew away at the health of Boston’s entire roster. Until that happens McQuaid will bide his time, continue working as hard as he possibly can to draw back in for the Bruins and do his best to live up to the level of high quality play that Boston’s defense corps has been working at over the last couple of months.