Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella gives too much information on Artemi Panarin's health

Star forward Artemi Panarin wants to explore free agency this summer, leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets in a quandary.

Do they hang on to him and/or fellow pending unrestricted free agent Sergei Bobrovsky for a playoff run or do they trade one or both to get assets in return?

When Panarin didn't suit up for Tuesday's game at the Montreal Canadiens, speculation that a trade was coming soon spread through the hockey world.

Cue, coach John Tortorella, who explained, "He's sick. He's sick as a dog."

But reporters pressed, noting that Panarin played Monday night, and began trying to figure out exactly when he got sick. That led the sometimes-blunt coach to provide way too much information to make his point and shut down the conversation.

WARNING: SALTY LANGUAGE

According to the Columbus Dispatch, he said, "I was told that he’s sick, not eating. He (expletive) his pants, he was puking, he was doing everything. So, enough.”

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Tortorella expressed regret on Wednesday about his choice of words during an interview with Columbus' 97.1 The Fan.

"Our guys have done such a great job of keeping all of these distractions out, and I should have known better, it's Montreal and they (reporters) were just trying to work it to where he was going to be moved.

"I think I could have picked a better word, but I wanted to stop it. He was sick and he was very sick, and I wanted to stop it, and obviously, I went down the wrong road there."

Panarin is in the final year of a two-year, $12 million contract that he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks before they traded him to the Blue Jackets in 2017.

He led the Blue Jackets in scoring last season (82 points in 81 games) and is leading them again with 67 points in 56 games.

The team would like to keep him and a local distillery even offered free vodka for life if he re-signs.

But for now, as Tortorella made abundantly clear, Panarin is sick.

"Hopefully, he has a better day," Tortorella told the radio station. "I think he's beginning to eat a little bit more, still not really feeling that well. You've got two days here. Hopefully, we can get him back in there against Ottawa (on Friday)."

The trade deadline is Monday.