McCarthy goes back to Rangers
Idled forward taken on waivers
NASHVILLE -- The brief Sandy McCarthy era in Boston ended yesterday when he was claimed off waivers by the New York Rangers.
McCarthy was out on the ice during the morning skate in preparation for last night's game against the Nashville Predators when coach Mike Sullivan took a phone call and then called McCarthy off. He changed clothes, collected his gear, and headed off to Atlanta, where the Rangers played last night.
Times hadn't been easy in Boston for the big forward, who signed as a free agent last August. Since suffering a jaw injury and concussion Jan. 12, he hadn't been able to crack the lineup even though he has been healthy for three weeks.
"It was a long couple of months, the last couple of months, here for me," he said. "But it was tough to really say anything or try to talk to the staff because they were doing so well. I didn't want to interrupt what was going on with the team because it's a good bunch of guys."
McCarthy, 31, said it was a lack of communication within the organization that bothered him most.
"That's what I was a little bit upset about," he said. "I've played in the league for 12 years and they could've at least a month ago come and said, `Well, maybe you should try to find somewhere else to play,' or something. But that's the nature of this beast. They don't have to do anything, so that's the way it goes."
He was looking forward to being back with the Rangers, with whom he played three seasons before coming to Boston, but he knows the regular season is going to be it.
"It would've helped a lot more if they were in the playoffs," said McCarthy. "But it's another year with a long summer. Hopefully, I can be in their plans for when the team comes back together again."
For now, he said, his family (wife Isabel and four children), will stay put. His youngest child, Charlotte, was born only a month ago.
"They're all very supportive," said McCarthy. "My [11-year-old daughter Samantha] said, `Dad, it doesn't matter where you have to go, we'll be there with you.' That makes it easier."
For some of his teammates, it was hard to see him go.
"It's been tough on him the last little bit," said left wing Mike Knuble. "It's too bad it didn't work out here because I think the guys liked to have him around. I think he's an effective player when he's playing.
"You're trying to digest what's happened around the league and trying to keep up with it. I mean, you get a phone call during practice and you've got the coach talking on the phone during practice, that's kind of strange. That's probably the first time I've ever seen that, where you yank somebody off the ice.
"We thought we were a good group here and Sandy was a part of that. I wish him luck."
Sullivan said McCarthy was the victim of a numbers game more than anything else.
"The team is playing pretty well and it's tough to pull somebody out at this point," said Sullivan. "I'm sure Sandy was frustrated with it. Given the way the team has gone and the way certain players have played, they've earned the right to stay in the lineup."
Helping the cause
Defenseman Dan McGillis had two assists last night and has five in his last five games . . . The Bruins will practice here this afternoon before chartering to Buffalo for tomorrow night's game against the Sabres. 