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Too much information, coach. TMI.
We doubt Gordon Bombay ever had the urge to go into great detail when talking about the bowel movements of the Mighty Ducks but John Tortorella decided to go where nobody really wanted him to today.
The coach of NHL side the Columbus Blue Jackets was in no mood for mincing his words when quizzed about why star forward Artemi Panarin wasn’t suiting up for the clash against the Montreal Canadiens.
Panarin has been the subject of intense trade speculation in recent days as he wants to explore free agency this coming winter. The Blue Jackets need to decide whether they use him as trade bait to lure another player to the franchise before the February 25 deadline, or hold onto him for a run towards the playoffs knowing full well he’s a huge chance of leaving at season’s end.
His absence from the ice against the Canadiens fuelled speculation there’d been a development in his personal situation but Tortorella was adamant there was nothing sinister about the move.
Simply, Panarin was just too sick to play.
Trade speculation continues to surround Artemi Panarin.Source: AFP“He’s sick. He’s sick as a dog,” Tortorella said.
But when pressed for further details, the coach got a little more graphic than that.
“I was told that he’s sick, not eating. He s**t his pants, he was puking, he was doing everything. So, enough,” Tortorella added.
You’re right, that is enough.
The blunt explanation for Panarin’s absence wasn’t swallowed so easily by fans, who continued to speculate on social media whether the illness was a ruse to cover up the fact the Russian was going to be traded.
Panarin was traded to Columbus in 2017 after signing a $16.8 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks
The 27-year-old was the Blue Jackets’ leading scorer last season with 82 points from 81 games and is in similar form this season, finding the back of the net 67 times in 56 outings.
