The Blue Jackets bought out the final two years of Scott Hartnell's contract Thursday, and the veteran winger isn't leaving Columbus with any hard feelings.
"I think it was mutually beneficial for us to part ways," Hartnell told Aaron Portzline of The Dispatch. "They’re going in a different way, they’re going younger, and they have some young studs coming up. They wanted to go that direction.
"I can’t say a bad thing about Columbus. It’s probably a city I’ll come back to after hockey. It’s such good living. People are great. I made some really good friends outside of hockey, too."
The 35-year-old found himself scratched by head coach John Tortorella at different points last season, and can now explore his options for a better fit as an unrestricted free agent.
Despite his positive feelings about the city and the organization, Hartnell admits being bought out is indeed a bit of a tough pill to swallow.
"It’s heartbreaking, a little bit," he said. "It’s new territory for me, but you have to move on."
Hartnell spent three seasons in Columbus, recording 64 goals and 82 assists in 234 regular-season games.
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