Boston Bruins: Adam McQuaid expected to return vs. Montreal

Boston Bruins defensemen Adam McQuaid expected to make long awaited return versus Canadiens.

It appears that the Boston Bruins will have another hard-hitting defenseman back in the lineup. Head coach Bruce Cassidy spoke to the media earlier and said that Kevan Miler is “highly doubtful to play versus the Montreal Canadiens due to an illness.

With Miller out, Adam McQuaid would make his return. It is definitely good to have the 6’4″ defenseman back. McQuaid is a physical presence who delivers big hits. With Miller out he is a perfect replacement.

It will be interesting to see who Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy pairs with McQuaid. Obviously, he won’t be on the first line, but I see him having two options. McQuaid has played with Torey Krug for a good portion of his career. If McQuaid played with a familiar face it could ease his transition since this is his first game. The other option is to slip him into Miller’s spot with Matt Grzelcyk. McQuaid’s veteran presence would be good for the rookie and be a sort of safety valve in case Grzelcyk makes a mistake.

More from Boston Bruins

• Boston Bruins fans better be ready for a bridge year
• Boston Bruins Rumors: Why letting Tyler Bertuzzi walk is a big mistake
• Boston Bruins Rumors: Milan Lucic back returns to the Black & Gold express
• Boston Bruins Draft class 2023: Grades & thoughts on draft selections
• Boston Bruins win 3 big awards at NHL Awards Gala: Thoughts & reactions

Even though it is great to have McQuaid back the news is bittersweet. The Bruins have been playing great recently. They haven’t lost a game in regulation since Dec.14th. You just hope that inserting McQuaid into the lineup doesn’t screw anything up. The team has built some chemistry and inserting a new player may mess that up.

What to expect

Bruins fans know better than to expect McQuaid to light up the scoreboard in his return. His career high in points is 15. Bruins fans should essentially expect what they got from Kevan Miller. McQuaid is a quality stay at home defenseman who is able to swing momentum with a single hit. I hope McQuaid comes out like a bat out of hell after not playing for so long. When you add the fact that the Bruins are going up against the Montreal Canadiens we may even see the defenseman drop the mitts.

Next: Boston Bruins: Veteran center Riley Nash having best season of career

The question is where do the Bruins go from here? Do they keep McQuaid in the lineup? Do they bench a rookie defenseman who has been playing great in Grzelcyk? One thing is for sure, Bruce Cassidy has a difficult decision to make when all his defenseman are healthy.