With friends like this . . .

Speaking of Nick Tarnsasky, he was one the receiving end of a barb from Doug Janik.

Tarnsasky, who signed this card from last season’s Springfield Falcons set, is shown wearing the "A" of an alternate, not assistant, captain. Janik quickly took note.

"You were an alternate?" Janik asked Tarnasky, a center known more for his fighting than scoring.

"Musta been preseason," Tarnasky replied.

"Yeah, musta been," Janik said. "You’re not captain material."