BOSTON – It’s rare for the Bruins to trade a player during the season who possesses grit, determination, strength and the willingness to do whatever it takes to defend his teammates.
While it wasn’t a surprise when the team dealt Trent Frederic to the New Jersey Devils, who then moved him to the Edmonton Oilers as part of a three-team trade Tuesday, it’s still unusual for the Bruins to pull this type of trade. Normally, Boston is always in search of the prototypical Bruin to strengthen and protect the lineup, instead general manager Don Sweeney relinquished those exact attributes to start the organization’s retooling process.
Along with defensive prospect Max Wanner, the Bruins also received a second-round pick in 2025 and a fourth-round selection in 2026. It’s a decent return for Frederic, especially since it’s likely the Bruins will miss the playoffs.
The last time Boston dealt a player who was built as a true Bruin was Adam McQuaid, who was no doubt in a different category during his career than Frederic.
McQuaid spent 11 seasons in the Bruins organization and was a key member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team. During his tenure in Boston, it would be nearly impossible to find another player who was respected more by teammates and coaches. McQuaid faced every kind of adversity in this game, and he always found a way to grind through it, both on and off the ice, and come out on top.
The Bruins traded McQuaid to the New York Rangers on Sept. 11, 2018, simply because of a numbers game. In return, Boston acquired defenseman Steven Kampfer, a 2019 fourth-round pick and a conditional seventh-round pick.
McQuaid always said he felt embraced and appreciated by Bruins fans. He worked hard, wasn’t afraid to play physical and fans loved him for it. McQuaid was always the type of person who would help an elderly woman cross Causeway Street in the afternoon, then beat the snot out of an opposing player during a game later that night.
“There’s an element of putting your game face on and getting ready for the game,” McQuaid told me a few days after he was traded. “There’s the competitiveness of it, too. When I get on the ice, I enjoy competing and the physical battle. At the same time, who I am on the ice isn’t who I am. My mom would always say to me that hockey is what I did, not who I was. Off the ice, you’re in a situation where you’re a Boston Bruins and people might recognize you, or whether if they do or don’t, you still want to be that good example for people if they are watching you, whether they know you’re a Bruin or not.”
Every fan knew who McQuaid was and what he meant to the Bruins.
The same can be said for Frederic.
The Bruins selected him in the first round (29th overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and he spent a total of seven seasons with the Bruins. He was always willing to be that type of physical player and became a fan favorite.
Still, trading away a prototypical Bruin before the deadline is just another example how Sweeney and the Bruins have landed at an organizational crossroads.
So, who will be the next true Bruin to enjoy longevity and become a fan favorite? That, no doubt, remains to be seen.