Panarin got brutally booed on the ice in Columbus

That has to be the last nail in the coffin. 

It sounds almost sure Artemi Panarin leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets for free agency, so much that GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s phone is blowing up with teams wondering if they can land him ahead of the trade deadline. 

“My phone has been ringing off the hook today,” Kekalainen said to Aaron Portzline. “I can only answer one at a time, but I’m pretty good at returning phone calls.”

Panarin’s agent Dan Milstein stated on Monday that his client will not negotiate an extension in-season and mentioned that Panarin “loves the team” but wasn’t sure about spending the “next eight years in Columbus.”

And you better believe fans heard that one. A “smattering” of Columbus Blue Jackets fans booed him as he stepped on the ice for Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Team insider Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that there was that such a smattering of boos when Panarin’s name was mentioned during starting lineup announcements, and also often when he touched the puck.

This was Panarin’s first game with the Blue Jackets since it was announced that Panarin’s future would not be discussed during the season. 

This has been quite a blow to the poor fans who have been trying to keep him in Columbus.  A few weeks ago, a Columbus based distillery High Bank put up a billboard offering Panarin free vodka for life if he re-signs with the Blue Jackets. A few days later, a second billboard to get Panarin to stay went up in Columbus. A family dental care company decided to offer Panarin free dentistry for life.

They surely showed Panarin how angry they are to know he doesn’t want to come back…