So what happens next?
On the day the Boston Bruins emerged as the winners of the Sergei Gonchar sweepstakes, acquiring the high-scoring defenceman from the Washington Capitals for defenceman Shaone Morrison, plus first- and second-round draft choices in 2004, how did the Toronto Maple Leafs get left standing at the altar?
It isn't as if the Bruins gave up a player off their roster (they didn't), or even had to surrender their top defensive prospect (that'd be Jeff Jillson) to get the Gonchar deal done.
Presumably, the Leafs could have made a similar trade, had they been willing to give up the two draft choices, plus defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo - which seems like a small price to pay after the fact for Gonchar, who leads all NHL defenceman in scoring this season with 49 points in 56 games, despite missing a month with a separated shoulder.
Washington defenceman Sergei Gonchar is reportedly bound for Boston. (AP file)
If the Leafs meet the Bruins in the opening round, they will get a close, up-and-personal look at Gonchar, who is the highest-scoring defenceman in the NHL over the past five seasons.
Gonchar is the latest in a string of stars to be dealt by the cost-cutting Capitals. He follows Jaromir Jagr (New York Rangers), Peter Bondra (Ottawa) and Robert Lang (Detroit) out of town.
The 30-year-old defenceman is the final of year of a contract in which he earns $3.65-million (U.S.). He is eligible for salary arbitration following the season, and is expected to earn a significant raise.
Boston currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with 82 points. The four teams ahead of the Bruins in the standings all have 84 points.
"The addition of Sergei makes us a better hockey club," said Bruins GM Mike O'Connell in a statement. "He is one of the premier offensive defensemen 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 was informed that he would be a healthy scratch just before the opening faceoff of the Capitals' loss to Florida on Wednesday. According to the Washington Post, Washington GM George McPhee informed Gonchar that he had agreed to the essential parts of a trade and would inform the player of his new team on Wednesday morning.
Colorado and Toronto have both been linked to Gonchar in recent weeks, and were considered front-runners for his services.
"Boston I didn't see coming. I thought it would be Colorado or Toronto," Capitals goaltender Olaf Kolzig told Toronto radio station Fan 590. "I'm glad for Gonch. His head's been spinning a little bit lately"
Morrisonn was Boston's first-round pick in the 2001 draft (19th overall). He's played in 30 games this season, tallying one goal and seven assists. Colaiacovo was the 17th player chosen in the same draft.
Morrisonn, a Vancouver native, played his junior hockey for Kamloops of the Western Hockey League.
"Shaone Morrisonn was the best young defenceman available and the player we wanted," Caps GM George McPhee said in a statement. "We are pleased to have him and expect him to be one of our top four defencemen for a very long time."
Gonchar, 29, is in his tenth NHL season and Boston becomes just his second NHL team. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, he is the leading goal scorer among NHL defencemen with 109 goals and is second only to Nicklas Lidstrom (353) among defencemen in points with 317, and he has been named an NHL second team all-star on defence in each of the last two seasons. He has twice scored 20+ goals in a season and has scored 50+ points in each of his last four seasons, including a career-high 67-point campaign in 2002-03.
