Players laud message sent in deal for Panarin

There is more to the Artemi Panarin trade than what shows up on paper.

In a blockbuster summer move, the Blue Jackets brought a dynamic, creative scorer to augment the first line and immediately slot in as a face of the franchise. In only two seasons with Chicago, the bushy-haired Panarin reached 30 goals and 70 points each year.

But arguably as important as the production the move brought was the message delivered in the trade after the third postseason appearance in franchise history.

“It’s great that the organization takes every opportunity to do whatever it takes to make our team better and trading guys,” right wing Cam Atkinson said. “It seems like we want to win right now and that’s the ultimate goal. We definitely have taken steps into the right direction to be a really good team in this league.”

The trade, completed in June, wasn’t without cost. In acquiring Panarin, left wing Tyler Motte and a 2017 sixth- round pick, the Jackets gave up another proven scorer in Brandon Saad, as well as goaltender Anton Forsberg and a future draft pick.

But in Panarin, the Blue Jackets believe they have a special player with a skill set that compares with few others on the roster.

“We felt that we needed a game-breaking type of player with individual skill who could create offense and also a guy who fits in perfectly not only with his right hand, but (adds) a tremendous one-timer shot into our power play,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “He gives us another dimension that we didn’t have.”

It’s a dimension that fellow players feel shows the team’s commitment to building on the success of last season.

Fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky said the move made him want the season to arrive as quickly as possible, and the two spoke not long after the trade was completed. Team captain Nick Foligno said he is looking forward to spending time with Panarin as training camp gets underway.

“For sure, you get excited about those moves and you get excited about the new season,” Bobrovsky said. “You want to play hockey sooner rather than later.”

Panarin looks ready to step into a top line alongside newly re- signed Alexander Wennberg and Atkinson, bringing some off-ice panache with him.

“(Coach John Tortorella) loves personalities, so he brings in guys and you find a way to jell because they’re all bringing something different to the table,” Foligno said. “You lose a guy like Scott ( Hartnell), who has such a personality in the room, but you gain a guy like Panarin and a few other guys who have a different persona to them and it just adds to the room.”