Adam Fantilli didn't hold back on the Blue Jackets honoring Kirill Marchenko's trade request.
“Happy we got guys who want to be here. It would have been a nightmare having a guy that didn't want to be here all year,” Fantilli said, via Dave Maetzold.
“I'm glad we got that trade done when we did.”
He's right, and he didn't sugarcoat it. A player who wants out sours a room faster than any losing streak ever could, and everyone in that room knows it.
It's like a roommate who has already packed his boxes but still eats your groceries every night.
Marchenko has 10 points with Toronto on a $3,850,000 cap hit.
He also had a hat trick in last Thursday's overtime loss to Buffalo at home.
C Adam Fantilli on the deal that honored Kirill Marchenko's trade request. “Happy we got guys who want to be here. It would have been a nightmare having a guy that didn't want to be here all year. I'm glad we got that trade done when we did.”
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Adam Fantilli delivers a ruthless message ahead of Kirill Marchenko's return
The Blue Jackets host Toronto tonight, so the timing of these comments couldn't be sharper if anyone had planned it.
Toronto is 4-4-2 after Monday's 3-1 win over San Jose, and tonight is the back half of a back-to-back.
Columbus is 3-4-0 after Sunday's 2-1 loss in Minnesota.
The Blue Jackets did beat the Rangers 1-0 in overtime on Saturday, and they're 3-2-0 at home.
Fantilli has 3 points on a $13,750,000 cap hit.
Don Waddell honored the request early, and his young center clearly appreciated that.
Charlie Coyle leads Columbus with 6 points, and Kent Johnson has 4 goals, including a game-winner.
Matthew Knies, now with Columbus, has 4 points.
Jet Greaves sits at .907 in the Columbus crease, while Sergei Bobrovsky is at .902 for Toronto.
Auston Matthews leads the Leafs with 16 points, and Gavin McKenna has 6, including a game-winner.
Two of Marchenko's goals have come on the power play, though he sits at -3.
Rick Bowness will want his group to answer on the ice tonight, not just at the podium.
Does Fantilli's comment light a fire under Marchenko tonight?
Fantilli said his piece. Now Marchenko gets the first reply, and he gets to deliver it in Columbus.
Was Adam Fantilli right to call out Kirill Marchenko publicly?
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Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen: Luukkonen "will be a big part of our future"
