Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher had two words for fans after learning of his trade to the Nashville Predators on Thursday: "Thank you."

"I wish I could have done more and for me it was so many great memories that I'll never forget. And thank you so much," he said.

In exchange for Fisher, the team will get a first-round draft pick in 2011 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2012.

"It's very hard for sure. It's a bit of a shock. I'm still trying to process everything. I don't know if it's really set in yet," Fisher said on Thursday.

"I wish I could have done more here. I wanted to be part of everything here, but it wasn't meant to be. I have so many things to be grateful for playing in Ottawa."

Not a surprise

However, CTV Ottawa Sports Director Terry Marcotte says the trade shouldn't come as a surprise. The team has said it was going to rebuild, and that rebuilding effort is starting with Fisher.

"Mike Fisher has been a great community guy; he's a wonderful man and a good hockey player. I'm not surprised that he's been traded because Mike Fisher has some value in the open market," said Marcotte.

"He's a good character guy and he's a good power forward. He's had a bad year and maybe a change of scenery won't be bad for him."

Difficult decision

Ottawa Senators President Cyril Leeder said it was difficult to let go of the long-time Senator, but it was the right thing to do.

"I've been here since the first day. I don't remember a trade that we've made that was this difficult for the organization. It's one of those things, like in life, sometimes the right path is the one with the most difficult decisions," Leeder told CTV Ottawa.

"I think that was one of those cases today, where we had to make a difficult decision to benefit our team down the road. But it sure is tough losing a great guy like Mike."

Fisher wasn't only a force on the ice; he also spent countless hours raising money for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Roger's House.

Fans react

Across the city, fans had mixed reactions to the news.

"I just found out in the dressing room . . . Good for Fisher," one hockey player said at a local rink.

"We're going to miss him," said another.

Meanwhile, many women say they'll miss his good looks.

"My roommate and I always talk about Fisher and how good looking he is," one woman told CTV Ottawa.

"I probably think it was her (Carrie's) influence that sent him back to the United States," added another.

Trade talk

There's been speculation that Fisher would be traded to Nashville since his marriage to country music superstar Carrie Underwood last summer.

When asked in July if he planned to stay in Ottawa, Fisher told reporters he wanted to continue playing for the Sens for as long as the team would have him.

"I love it here in Ottawa. She (Carrie) likes it, she knows how much I like it and I want to stay here my whole career if possible. And it won't be just up to me, it will be up to the team too after my contract is up," Fisher told reporters at the time.

Excited about the future

Now, he's looking forward to a future in Nashville with his wife.

"I'm excited about that. If there was a place I was to go, it would be there. I'm excited about being part of that team. They're a very good team," he said.

"It will be kind of like going home for me and I'm sure my wife won't be disappointed either."

Fisher, 30, has spent his entire career with the Ottawa Senators. He was selected as the Senators first second-round draft pick in the 1998 NHL entry draft. He's now in his 11th full season in the NHL.