Jason Arnott

Jason Arnott had no intentions of leaving the Devils to go to a team still fighting to make the playoffs. But as today's 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline approached, the veteran center was dealt to the Washington Capitals in an exchange for center David Steckel and a second round draft pick in 2012.

Arnott said, "This is the hardest decision I've had to make, I think, in my career." It took me a while. It was hard to leave. It really was.

"With the roll we were on and the group of guys we have in the dressing room, it was hard. But like I said a l ong time ago, I was in a situation before where we were three or four points out and we didn't make it. I'm at that point in my career where I really want to play in the playoffs and Washington is in the playoffs right now."

Arnott told, "I talked to Patty about the situation." I got his take on how the guys felt. He acknowledged they all understood the situation and wished me nothing but the best of luck. They all wished I could stay.

"I'm at the end of my career. I want a chance at another Stanley Cup. I think Washington has a good potential to be a Stanley Cup championship team." There were other teams that made offers to the Devils for Arnott, but general manager Lou Lamoriello asked the center to waive his no movement clause only for the Caps.

Arnott also said, "There were some other teams interested." I think Lou thought this was the best fit for for me. So he pursued that. They were the most interested." And this was the best return for the Devils.

Lamoriello phoned Arnott this afternoon and said the Capitals were most interested.

"Lou called me and said Washington was one of the teams that was interested. So I thought about it for a while. I know they have a fantastic team there. They're doing well this season in the standings," Arnott said. "I told Lou is he could get what he wanted for me that I would go there."

The 6-5, 217-pound Steckel, from Wisconsin, had 11 points in 57 games this season for the Caps. Steckel also had 24 penalty minutes, one game winning goal and was minus-3.

Steckel, 28, has two seasons left on his contract after this one, with a cap hit of $1.1 million.

He was the Los Angeles Kings' second pick (30th overall) in the 2001 entry draft.

Arnott, who returned to the Devils last June in a trade with the Nashville Predators, had 13 goals and 11 assists in 61 games this season.

He envisioned making a run at the Cup with the Devils, but this turned out to be a crazy season.

"Is it ever," he said. "It's been unbelievable. I wish I wasn't in this situation at all. I wish at the beginning of the season we could've won a few more games. We wouldn't be having this conversation. We would've solidified a playoff spot or we'd be a little closer than we are.

"I hope for the best for this team. The guys have been nothing but great and supportive through this whole thing. It's tough to leave but I'm looking forward to going to Washington."

So, does Arnott feel the Devils realistically cannot make the playoffs?

"That's the hard part," he said. "You can say realistically 'no,' but you just never know in this game. That's the thing I had to gamble on. If I stayed and we didn't make the playoffs I'd be a little disappointed. That would've been a huge gamble.