Via the Score's Craig Hagerman, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno weighed in on his team's recent trades as an organizational show of force, discussing the trades for Brandon Saad and signing of Gregory Campbell with Sportsnet's Luke Fox:
In a cap-relief transaction, [Blackhawks GM Stan] Bowman dealt away the most talented young forward no one knew was available in a seven-piece move that saw Columbus give up forwards Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp.
But there's no debate which team landed the best player. Columbus wasted no time locking up Saad, a restricted free agent, for six years, leaving a small-market dressing room positively giddy.
“I was really, really happy. The organization is making a statement about what type of team we want to be, how serious we are about winning. You bring in a player like Brandon Saad, who’s won two Cups already, it’s a big statement," captain Nick Foligno told us this week at the Smile Zone Foundation golf tournament in Milton, Ont.
"It’s sad because you lose a few friends, but it’s a huge pickup for us. He’s an unbelievable talent, and a young player at that. You’ll get a lot great years out of a player like him. Another guy—they bring in [former Boston Bruins centre] Gregory Campbell, who’s already won a Cup. They’re really pushing for us to become the team we know we can be.”
Fox and Foligno continue...
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