The Boston Bruins traded a defenseman today, but it wasn't Brad Stuart.

Instead the Bruins have dealt blueliner Milan Jurcina to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fourth round pick.

Jurcina at 23 comes touted with plenty of upside, but hasn't yet developed into the top four blueliner he's projected to become.  Bear in mind that it usually takes longer for young defensemen to reach their full potential than it does for forwards, so there's still plenty of time for him to reach it.

At 6'4 and 233 pounds, he's got the size that NHL general managers covet in their defensemen, and it's possible that over time he could become a valuable member of the Capitals blueline corps.

He's seen action in 40 NHL games this season, after playing in 51 games last season, and missed three games in October with an elbow injury.

As for Brad Stuart, the trade watch continues.