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Horton says Bruins waited ‘until the last minute’ to try to bring him back

leapinghortongetty

Nathan Horton’s original explanation for leaving the Boston Bruins for the Columbus Blue Jackets is his preference for a quieter, more private lifestyle. It appears that either was a PR-friendly reason, or just a part of the story.

After hearing that a Bruins-produced documentary captured B’s GM Peter Chiarelli’s angry reaction to Horton’s departure for Columbus, the 28-year-old winger told CSNNE.com that Boston dragged its feet regarding a new deal.

“All year, nothing happened. I waited for a long time,” Horton said. “When you wait until the last minute, what am I … I’m not going to wait around. I’m happy with the way things turned out. It just came down to, at the end, for my family, I wanted a place where my kids could be outside.”

Horton isn’t done rehabbing shoulder surgery, but he’s definitely on board with Columbus, calling the Blue Jackets an up-and-coming team.

He admits that his time with Boston was still special, though.

“Obviously I enjoyed my time in Boston. I still talk to [Milan Lucic] and most of the guys on the team,” said Horton. “When you win a Stanley Cup with everyone, you never forget it. It’s a big part of your life.”

Apparently he didn’t feel that the Bruins organization believed he was a big enough part of their team, though. With the obvious exception of Tuukka Rask, Chiarelli has been proactive regarding signing core guys to extensions with plenty of time before their current deals expire, so maybe Horton has a point.

Whether Boston really wanted him back or not, he’s now in Columbus, and seems glad to be there.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins