So Jason Chimera has passed his physical, according to a Caps spokesman, and is on the flight to San Jose. Meanwhile, former Caps defenseman Milan Jurcina is headed to Columbus after Monday’s trade along with team captain Chris Clark. The 26-year-old Slovakian played two full seasons for the Caps and parts of two others. He appeared in 27 games ths season and had an even +/- rating with four assists. His booming shot can be a weapon – though it’s far from accurate most of the time. It’s a new lease on life for a player who was caught in a numbers crunch in Washington with nine NHL-caliber defensemen. One of them had to go. Unfortunately for Jurcina, he was targeted by the last-place Blue Jackets, a playoff team for the first time in franchise history last season but losers of nine in a row before Monday’s 1-0 overtime win vs. Detroit.
“I think for Milan it is really good,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We had nine defensemen up here that could play, and you can’t play them all. Even though he’s right-handed and it is a gamble because we only have two righties and six lefties left, it makes room for other guys to come up here who are playing well.”
Recommended Stories
Jurcina was unavailable to talek before Monday’s game. The 6-foot-4, 233-pounder was an eighth-round draft pick by the Boston Bruins in 2001 – a raw project who Caps general manager George McPhee took a chance on in 2006 with his team desperately short of adequate defenseman because of injuries. He has his flaws. But Jurcina was also a popular figure in the dressing room – a good-natured guy with a dry sense of humor. His role in the trade has been overshadowed because team captain Chris Clark went with him. But players said Juice will be missed, too. They’ll see their former teammates again on April 3 when the Caps travel to Columbus.
“I spoke to him before the game. Wanted to see how he is doing,” said teammate Tomas Fleischmann, a Czech Republic native who shares a cultural background with Jurcina and lived in the same apartment building in Arlington. “We lost a great guy, a great player. That’s hockey, though. It’s a tough business and you’ve got to go from there….It’s always tough to lose a friend. But he’s still in the NHL. I’ll see him around. He’s going to hit me all the time when we play again, I’m sure. When I heard about it I didn’t know what to think. I was a little bit shocked. I think everyone on our team was a little shocked. But that’s how it is. But I think it’s a better opportunity for Juice to play every day, every game and get going in Columbus. I think he’s going to do well.”
