Brenden Dillon was traded to the Washington Capitals Tuesday afternoon for a pair of draft picks. Before departing the team, the veteran defenseman was made available to San Jose Sharks media and was very happy about the deal.

“I’m excited, really excited. Yeah. I can’t wait to get out there,” Dillon said. “Obviously, it’s a big opportunity. The team. The group. Yeah. What an opportunity, really!”

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Brenden Dillon reacts to trade pic.twitter.com/r9cpo4gRpZ — Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) February 18, 2020

The trade comes nearly 24 hours after Dillon broke down in tears after the Sharks-Panthers game. Dillon was asked if it was potentially the final game he had played for San Jose.

“It’s been crazy. It really has,” Dillon said of the roller coaster of emotions. “I got traded from Dallas to here and that was kind of one of those you-aren’t-really-expecting-it (trades).

“I think anytime a team is losing a few games, especially the way the Sharks have had as a culture here over the last six years here, it’s almost been Stanley Cup or bust for us,” he added. “I think as you start to lose, the Canadian swing’s there, where you’re going through a bit more media, the questions get raised to what’s going to go on, especially being a pending UFA. It’s kind of like if you’re a team that’s not really in the race, we won four of our last five here with the Sharks, and we’re still almost in the same position in the standings. It’s too tough to get back into the race of things, but I think mentally, guys can say you don’t read this or don’t read that, but it wears on you for sure. I’ve kind of tried to bring the lunch pail to work every day and do my job. I definitely couldn’t be happier to get going (to DC).”

Headline photo courtesy of @SanJoseSharks