WILMINGTON — Dennis Seidenberg heard his name bandied about in trade speculation and didn’t like it. The Bruins defenseman wasn’t bothered by the speculation. He seemed upset about his own play that precipitated the talk in the first place.

Seidenberg knew a deal was not happening because he has a full no-trade clause in his contract, and new general manager Don Sweeney never asked him to waive it.

Still, the very fact his name was being kicked around does not sit well with Seidenberg and, after yesterday’s captain’s practice at Ristuccia Arena, he vowed to use it as motivation to return to form this season.

“If I had heard it from the GM then I would have been concerned, but the thing that bothered me was that people even talked about it. That’s kind of a slap in the face. It means you’re not playing your best, and you obviously want to play to a level where people don’t question you,” Seidenberg said. “On the other hand, you have to focus on your own game and not worry about what people say. If it comes from the top, then you have to be worried about it, but I’ve never heard anything. I’ve read it and I saw it, but at the end of the day, I have to focus on what I have to do.”

Even so, it will remain in his mind.

“For sure,” said Seidenberg, whose sturdiness and left-right versatility made him a key part of the B’s run to two Stanley Cup finals. “You never like people to write those kinds of things about you. It just means that you have to work harder and do better.”

Even if the B’s wanted to trade Seidenberg, his contract wouldn’t be easy to move right now. At 34, he has three years left at an average of $4 million per season, and he’s coming off his worst statistical season since being acquired by the Bruins in 2010. He finished in the red with a minus-1 rating, and his possession stats were not good.

Despite playing in all 82 games, it took him awhile to get his skating back after his 2013-14 season was cut short by a major knee injury that required surgery to repair the ACL and MCL. He said he didn’t feel like himself until almost midway through the season.

“It’s tough because you always think you’re doing your best, and it’s hard to measure because you’re going through something you’ve never gone through before,” Seidenberg said. “It was a tough situation. I thought I was moving well, but then you watch it and realize, ‘I could have been a little faster here, I could have been a little stronger there.’ There were a couple of little things that made me notice that I had to be better.

“But once I hit December, I felt I was able to turn it on a little bit.”

While Seidenberg’s name was tossed around, he had plenty of company on a Bruins team that missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006-07. Some big names are gone for various reasons — Milan Lucic, Dougie Hamilton and Reilly Smith. Coming in are Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, Zac Rinaldo and, on the back end, Matt Irwin and prospect Colin Miller (obtained in the Lucic deal).

Count Seidenberg among the Bruins blindsided by Hamilton’s apparent wish to leave Boston.

“Very, very, very surprised,” he said. “I never really felt him being uncomfortable or not wanting to be here, but obviously that was the case from what I’ve heard. I’ve probably only heard as much as you. But he’s in a good spot. He’s in Canada, where he’s from, and I wish him all the best.”

While Seidenberg said all those departed players were well-liked, a mini-overhaul could be what the team needed. And after a disappointing season and with a new general manager in place, there likely are few sacred cows on the roster.

“You always want competition, and you want to get pushed. That’s what brings the best out of you,” Seidenberg said. “This year there’s been more changes than in the past. That can mean only good things.

“It’ll be a challenging camp with guys fighting for spots and guys fighting to keep their spots. I think it will be fun.”