After shipping out Jaromir Jagr, Peter Bondra and Robert Lang, the Washington Capitals have dumped some more salary - this time off their own blueline - sending defenceman Sergei Gonchar to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenceman Shaone Morrisonn and a first and second round draft pick in the 2004 Entry Draft.
"The addition of Sergei makes us a better hockey club,'' Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell said in a statement.
"He is one of the premier offensive defencemen in the game and that was an element that we felt needed upgrading on our team. He moves the puck very well, has great awareness on the ice and will be a great addition to our power play.''
Gonchar is in the final year of a four-year, $13.95 million US contract that pays him $3,650,000 this season.
The 29-year old veteran has seven goals and 49 points this season, leading all NHL defenceman in scoring.
"Sergei Gonchar is an outstanding player, but given the uncertainty we are all facing next season and his impending unrestricted free agency thereafter, we thought it best to make the move to acquire young assets now," said McPhee.
The 10-year veteran was taken 14th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Capitals. He made his NHL debut in the 1994-95 season and scored seven points as a rookie. He led all Capitals' defencemen in scoring over the next two seasons and led the team's blueline with 11 playoff points as the Capitals went the Stanley Cup Final in 1998.
In 1998-99, Gonchar played just 53 games, and led team defencemen with 21 goals and 31 points. He also led the Capitals with 13 power play goals and was the first Russian defenceman to score 20 goals in an NHL season.
In 1999-2000, Gonchar finished the season with a team best +26 rating and became the second defenceman in team history to score a hat trick.
Morrisonn, a Vancouver native, had one goal, seven assists and a plus-10 rating in 30 games with the Bruins this season. He's the kind of young NHL defenceman Caps GM George McPhee was insisting had to be part of any Gonchar trade.
"Shaone Morrisonn was the best young defenceman available and the player we wanted," McPhee added. "We are pleased to have him and expect him to be one of our top four defencemen for a very long time."
Morrisonn, chosen 19th overall by Boston in the 2001 entry draft, is six foot three and 205 pounds, a big, mobile defenceman McPhee was looking for as he rebuilds the Caps.