Kirill Marchenko gets last laugh in return to Columbus

In his first game against his former team less than a month after being traded, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kirill Marchenko had the last laugh, scoring the team’s first goal in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hours before the game, Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli was blunt when asked about Marchenko’s desire to leave, saying he was “happy we got guys who want to be here” and that “it would have been a nightmare having a guy that didn’t want to be here all year.”

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discuss Marchenko’s first game back and the dynamic between him and his former teammates.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Before the puck even dropped, Adam Fantilli had some interesting words about his former teammate

Carter Hutton: For me, it kind of needs to be said, though. I don’t blame Fantilli for saying that, right? You’re trying to build something in Columbus. But he signed the contract, and he probably knew beforehand that Marchenko didn’t want to be there. But it’s a tough look, especially how the game played out.

Tyler Yaremchuk: When I hear a player say something this harsh in public, it makes me wonder how bad it was behind the scenes. If Fantilli was willing to say this with the microphones and cameras pointed at him, it must have been worse with the doors closed.

Carter Hutton: I’m sure there were some behind-the-scenes pressure and things that went on where there’s a few “eff you” matches, especially when you look back to the comments made by head coach Rick Bowness at the end of last season … Marchenko was probably leading the charge when it came to that.

It just comes down to the team that they build is missing a key cog in Marchenko, and yes it started great for Matthew Knies, but Marchenko got the last laugh last night for the Leafs.

Tyler Yaremchuk: He did get the last laugh. Fantilli tried to take a run at him, and Marchenko told reporters after the game that it’s fine and not a surprise, but that he’s happy to win. “I can take so many hits if we win … it’s so nice.”

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…