Defenseman Johnny Boychuk addressed the trade rumors that have swirled around him for months

WILMINGTON — Defenseman Johnny Boychuk addressed the trade rumors that have swirled around him for months as the Bruins deal with a cap crunch and overload of blue liners that will necessitate at least one to be dealt.

“It’s tough to hear, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what anybody says,” Boychuk said. “If it happens, you have to work on that part. But until it does, you have to keep playing the way you can. You always want to stay here, but if something happens, then it does and you want to stay with the guys you grew up playing with.”

The Bruins have roughly $3.2 million in cap space and still haven’t signed entry-level free agents Torey Krug and Reilly Smith, with training camp just a week away. Counting Krug, they also have nine NHL-ready defensemen, meaning at least one will have to be shipped in the coming weeks.

Trade rumors have centered around Boychuk, who is entering the final season of a three-year contract that carries a $3.36 million cap hit. The 30-year-old Boychuk is likely to make big dough as an unrestricted free agent next summer and the Bruins can't afford to keep him long-term, so a trade now would make sense.

While being light-hearted and keeping his loose personality, Boychuk made it clear he would prefer to stay with the Bruins, the organization he's been with since 2008.

“This is like home,” Boychuk said. “You’ve grown up playing for Boston, not growing up, but the last lot of years of my life. It's home for me. Well, second home, I guess.”

With players like Brooks Orpik ($6.5 million) and Matt Niskanen ($5.75 million) getting hefty payouts this summer, Boychuk’s wallet could be getting bigger next summer.

“Well, we’re in different situations,” Boychuk said. “Not necessarily better or worse. You don’t want to compare yourself to anybody. At the end of the day, it’s about what I do.”

Boychuk has not discussed potential trades with his agent or general manager Peter Chiarelli. He says he doesn't want to know about a trade until it happens.

He did discuss the move with his wife Sheena. The couple have twins girls born last winter, so a move would be disruptive for the family.

“It’s definitely hard,” Boychuk said. “We’ve talked about it for the summer, but we both agree that I have to come out and play my game and you can't control what other people do.”

Of course, just because Boychuk’s name has been floated as the logical piece to move, it doesn’t mean it will happen. There have been no specific teams or trades that have been reported, and as Boychuk noted, just because a player is in the news about being traded doesn’t mean it's imminent.

“How many years did it take us to get [Tomas] Kaberle? I think it was probably seven,” he joked. “Rumors can be rumors until they come to life. That’s how you have to look at it. You work hard and be positive.”

Boychuk was later asked what the return would be for his serves.

“I don’t even know what I’m worth,” he said. “I’m just worth what somebody’s willing to give, I guess. I don’t want to be traded at all.”

Follow @DanCagen