Since 2009/10, Boston’s Playoff Successes and Failures Has ONE Commonality:

[Fenway]

Close. The 8-5 game vs the Habs takes it for me probably due to the opponent. I still remember the drama "but but but you can't do that Habs are not fighters you classless goons"
I loved that team.

This particular game vs Montreal was the first time in years that I felt the casual Boston fan was watching.

 

[Lobster57]

i guess i forgot that those 2 games were within a week of each other. That year was so ****ing amazing

 

[Btown]

Very underrated player.
3+ million is to much for him but I don't mind a small raise.
Problem is he is hurt so often and he is replaceable.
Is the replacment better? No but comparable with a better cap hit which is extremely important with this team.
If we aren't against the cap I would be all for giving him 3+.
Constant warrior and reliable, knows when to pinch and makes very little mistakes. He knows his weaknesses on the ice and dosent try to be to fancy.
I definitely want him back next year I just think 2-2.5 is the number I would be happy paying. I think Adam would sign for that as well considering he saw first hand what happened to a comparable player in B. Stuart.

 

[Latrappe]

And the answer is....


Is Lone Wolf, Adam McQuaid playing or not.


Think about it:

The last 2 times that McQuaid has played for the Bruins in the playoffs, the Bruins went to the Stanley Cup Finals (2011, 2013).


The last 2 times that McQuaid has been out for the playoffs, a powerhouse Bruins team was upset early by an inferior team (Washinton and Montreal in 2012, 2014). You’re telling me that is such tight, 7 game series having McQuaid in wouldn’t have made the difference? Bruins in 5 or 6 in both.


Here’s the kicker –McQuaid had one other NHL playoff experience with the Bruins, as a rookie in 2010, where he played 9 games. The first 6 games were when we beat a good Sabres team. The next 3 games he played, we went up 3-0 on Philly. He got hurt in that 3rd game and we went on to lose the next 4 games. I know a lot gets made about Krejci being the biggest factor (which I believe as I was driving that wagon) but McQuaid is a HUGE, HUGE factor behind the Bruins playoff success.


I’m not saying he is Orr or Bourque but he is criminally underrated by most Bruins fans. He doesn’t put up many points but he was the biggest factor in the famous Horton game 7 OT winner and had that fantastic 1-0 series winning goal against the Pens as well so he makes his points count.


(I’m sick to death of hearing “Kevan Miller makes 850k, I’d rather have him”). Miller is the perfect 7th Dman but he is not McQuaid. Miller was a scrambly hot mess in that Habs series (not nearly physical enough either) and hurt us more than he helped. McQuaid is a major PKing, physical, calming presence (our biggest problem on the back Vs. Montreal was blown coverage and bad plays under pressure by the D) that you want to go to war with. He would have hunted Weise all series and made him his *****.


I look at a Jarrod Boll and other 4th liners around the NHL making 1.6m and I see that McQuaid can throw down with them but also plays twice as much and is an elite Penalty Killer. If he wants a 3.5m+ deal (like Ference) then the Bruins should take that deal. Reilly Smith for 3.5m and people here are saying that McQuaid should re-up @ 1.5 again.

What a joke.

Are you knocking on Miller for being a rookie, at that time, against Montreal? If so, I don't know what to say. Bartowski was WORST then Miller in that series so...not sure why you brought this example to us. It's clear in my mind that Miller/McQuaid are redundant on this team and you can't deny that Miller improved and played a sound defensive game before his injury. His +/- stats of +20 is a clear evidence that the guy was playing extremely well. Now, I can understand that some fans like the rugged/in your face/i'm gonna crack your skull style of McQuaid but... The Bruins will face multiple decisions in the offseason regarding the roster and to me, Miller is a fine option to replace McQuaid. Personally, I like the Quaider guy but he's injury prone and will cost more. We can't keep them all....

 

[ODAAT]

I think the commonality of any team who wins or is competing for the Cup is overall team health, often, the healthiest of teams wins

I like Quaider, no denying he is or was important, far more damaging losing a Seidenberg and having a wounded Chara than losing Quaider IMO

 

[nmbr_24]

It takes a team to win and McQuaid was a part of those teams but he is pretty far down in the order of importance. Seidenberg was out for those eliminations too wasn't he? It is much more likely that losing a couple of D was a bigger reason for them losing than not having McQuaid's presence being the entire reason they lost.

 

[DKH]

Love McQuaid and I bring him back in a heart beat BUT his weakness are injury prone and puck retrieval (leaves self open to big hits and can be defended due to lack of quickness.

If he takes third pair money L-O-V-E him back.

 

[KrejciMVP]

I can't believe Rinaldo backed down to Mcquaid. For shame philly, for shame.

 

[ODAAT]

I can't believe Rinaldo backed down to Mcquaid. For shame philly, for shame.

you can`t???

 

[Colt.45Orr]

It takes a team to win and McQuaid was a part of those teams but he is pretty far down in the order of importance. Seidenberg was out for those eliminations too wasn't he?

Nope, Seidenberg played all 7 games Vs. Washington and was out for game 7 Vs. Toronton the next year and 80% of the NYR series (not a huge sample but very, very important playoff games that we won WITHOUT him.

I loved Seidenberg's game before the knee(s) --thought he was our best defender in 2011. This season (and parts of last) he has hurt more than he has helped and he is only getting older.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I don't think it's Quaider (I know you're not serious in suggesting this and it is a very interesting statistic that we're 7-1 with him in since 2011) but he is very underrated.

He's a really solid bottom pairing guy. When you lose a guy like him, a guy with less experience comes in. A guy like Quaider is very used to 3rd pairing play and matches up well with his competition... losing him creates a liability for someone else, and having that secondary depth be a liability is a death sentence.

You could have an absolutely amazing top 6, but if your bottom 6 is a liability, you won't go far. Primary is more important but you can't win without a great whole team. Look at 2012, because he was out, we had Corvo AND Zanon AND Mottau playing. We didn't miss Mcquaid as much as we wanted them gone...

well said.

 

[bruins309]

Correlation does not equal causation when it comes to Adam McQuaid.

But yeah I'm going to miss his toughness in 15/16. Very underrated fighter when someone is willing to go with him, which apparently does not include Rinaldo.

 

[Beaviz81]

McQuaid is a competent defender, but little more than that. He is just a part of the picture as I'm certain other players have been out at the same time as him.

 

[Trap Jesus]

He's been overrated on here before, but this thread takes the cake.

 

[3rdLiner]

Close. The 8-5 game vs the Habs takes it for me probably due to the opponent. I still remember the drama "but but but you can't do that Habs are not fighters you classless goons"
I loved that team.

That made me miss Boychuk and Horton. But even moreso the old Looch.