John Tortorella: Blue Jackets star Artemi Panarin ‘s–t’ himself

Artemi Panarin pooped himself.

The Columbus Blue Jackets star — and the NHL’s hottest trade candidate— was mysteriously scratched from Tuesday’s 3-2 loss against the Canadiens due to an undisclosed “illness.” Sports maladies near trade deadlines sometimes are coded words to keep the players safe from injury, which would make sense in this case.

But Blue Jackets and former Rangers coach John Tortorella adamantly said Tuesday that Panarin wasn’t being held out because of the trade deadline. It was because Panarin was literally pooping himself.

“He’s sick as a dog. That’s why he’s out,” Tortorella said. “He s–t his pants. He was puking. Enough.”

Panarin, who’s in the last year of his two-year, $12 million contract, is the face of this month’s trade deadline after his agent, Dan Milstein, declared Panarin wouldn’t sign an extension with anyone until the end of the season. That means the 27-year-old will test the free-agent market on July 1.

He led the Blue Jackets in scoring last season and again leads them with 67 points in 56 games this year.

The NHL’s trade deadline is Monday.