ST. PAUL -- The Nikita Filatov era in Columbus has officially come to an end.
The 21-year old forward was dealt during Saturday's second round to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a third round pick (No. 66 overall).
According to Columbus GM Scott Howson, Filatov requested a trade and had that not happened, he planned to play in the KHL next season.
"It was just time for everybody to move on," said Howson.
Over the span of three seasons, the sixth overall pick in the 2008 Draft played just 44 games for the Blue Jackets putting up six goals and 13 points, while struggling to land full-time spot in the lineup and spending most of his time with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL.
Filatov also famously clashed with former Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock during the 2009-10 season before he was loaned to CSKA Moscow of the KHL
Columbus gives up a talented young player, but one who was more consistent in giving them headaches than producing on the ice.
For Ottawa, it's a low-risk move. Filatov still has a lot to prove and with the Senators currently in rebuild mode, he'll be given plenty of opportunity to live up to the potential that scouts talked about when he was drafted in 2008. Filatov has one year remaining on his current contract before becoming a restricted free agent after next season.
"We felt it was very worthwhile to taking a chance that this young man could come in to a team that's hurting for offense and provide some of that," said Senators GM Bryan Murray.
"There's no risk in this at all."
Finally, it's since been deleted, but Filatov's now former teammate in Columbus, R.J. Umberger, Tweeted out his thoughts on the decision to trade Filatov for a third rounder:
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