The Boston Bruins have not released a statement, but the team has traded defenseman Milan Jurcina to the Washington Capitals. TSN.ca is reporting the Bruins will receive a fourth-round draft pick in exchange.

"I'm disappointed," said Jurcina. "I like it here in Boston, a great city, I love everything, and the fans. It's disappointing to go, but it's probably good. Washington has young defensemen, not the older, experienced guys. It'll be a great group of young guys and it'll be fun on the ice."

When asked if it bothered him that he was dealt for a reported fourth-round pick, Jurcina said: "It doesn't matter to me. I could have gone for nothing to somewhere else, the main thing for me is to get a new opportunity."
There has been speculation that Jurcina and his agent, Allan Walsh, requested a trade in December, but a team source denied it.

Jurcina was orginially selected by Boston as its seventh pick (241st overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The four-year pro spent his first two seasons in Providence and played 51 games for Boston last season.

The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder has played 40 games for the Bruins this season, including the last 28, but is not in the lineup tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. He has two goals and one assist, while sporting a minus-5 rating with 20 penalty minutes.

"It's all about ice time," said Jurcina, who showed up at the Garden around 3:45 to collect his things. "If you don't get the ice time you can't show what you can do, so that's probably the main thing. The coaches were great, the system was great, it's just when things are not going well [it's time for change]."

In Washington, Jurcina will be reunited with fellow blueliner Shaone Morrisonn. The pair played together for the P-Bruins during the 2003-2004 season.