McQuaid traded to Blue Jackets by Rangers

Adam McQuaid was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets by the New York Rangers on Monday for a fourth- and seventh-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and defenseman prospect Julius Bergman.

RELATED: [2018-19 NHL Trade Tracker]
McQuaid, a 32-year-old defenseman, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 36 games this season. He played the first period for the Rangers in a 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday but didn't return for precautionary reasons.
McQuaid, who has 71 points (15 goals, 56 assists) in 498 NHL games, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the second round (No. 55) of the 2005 NHL Draft, but was traded to the Boston Bruins on May 16, 2007. He played his first nine NHL seasons for the Bruins, including 23 games during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Bruins won the championship.
"It gives us another element," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "(Defenseman Ryan) Murray [upper body] is going to be out a little while here. He's had a great year for us, Ryan Murray. It leaves us with a little bit of hole. We don't know how long he's going to be out.
"We felt we needed another defenseman. Adam McQuaid gives us experience, character and compete. He plays with an edge and that's going to be really important down the stretch here."

McQuaid was traded to the Rangers by Boston for Steven Kampfer, the Rangers' fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft and a conditional pick in 2019 on Sept. 11.
"He's a big, strong, hard-playing guy and just adds so much depth to our team," said center Matt Duchene, who was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the Ottawa Senators on Friday. "It's been really fun to watch this team and watch (general manager) Jarmo (Kekalainen) kind of push all in here. I don't know if I've seen anything like this in my time in the League because they have a tough job."
Bergman was acquired by Columbus in the Duchene trade. The 23-year-old, who was a second-round pick (No. 46) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2014 NHL Draft, has six assists in 33 American Hockey League games this season.
The Blue Jackets also acquired goalie Keith Kinkaid from the New Jersey Devils on Monday, and forward Ryan Dzingel from the Senators on Saturday.
Columbus (35-23-3) is in third place in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the Washington Capitals and one ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins.
NHL.com staff writer Tom Gulitti and correspondent Craig Merz contributed to this report