Adam Fantilli was not in the Columbus Blue Jackets facility for physicals Wednesday, leaving the club without its projected No. 1 center as training camp is set to open Thursday. General manager Don Waddell said negotiations with the restricted free agent remain active and expressed confidence that a contract will be settled soon.
Key takeaways
- Fantilli had been slated to skate between Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko on Columbus’ top unit at the first camp practice.
- The 21-year-old produced 24 goals and 59 points across all 82 games last season.
- Waddell said the market shifted after Anaheim matched Philadelphia’s offer-sheet pressure by signing Leo Carlsson for five years and $90 million.
- Columbus plans to send another proposal to Fantilli’s camp within the next 24 hours.
- Coach Rick Bowness said Fantilli has trained hard and should arrive ready despite missing the opening of camp.
Contract talks remain open
Waddell described the dialogue with Fantilli and agent Pat Brisson as cordial, though there had been no fresh progress since the weekend. The two sides are still apart on the player’s value, but Columbus does not view the situation as stalled beyond repair.
“When there are conversations, eventually you get to a deal,” Waddell said. He acknowledged that negotiations are simply on the business side of the game and said the Blue Jackets still expect to find an answer in the near term.
The Carlsson deal has become a major reference point in the discussions. Carlsson, selected second overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, was retained by the Ducks on a five-year contract carrying an $18 million average annual value after an offer sheet from the Flyers altered the landscape.
Waddell said Columbus has increased its position substantially from where it stood earlier in the summer. The larger question, he said, is contract length, as young players and clubs often see the value of shorter arrangements differently.
Fantilli, chosen third overall in the same draft, has scored 67 goals and collected 140 points in 213 NHL regular-season games. Carlsson has posted 61 goals and 141 points in 201 games. Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, the first pick in 2023, signed a five-year, $75 million deal on July 18, worth $15 million annually.
“The earlier it gets done, the better it is for the team,” Waddell said. “We think it’s moving in the right direction.” He added that Fantilli has made clear he wants to remain in Columbus and that he is not yet concerned about an extended absence.
Camp clock is tighter this season
Fantilli’s absence matters more in a condensed training-camp setup. Teams have only four preseason games this year, down from schedules that could previously run as long as eight exhibitions, while the regular season has expanded to 84 games. Veterans with 100 or more NHL appearances can play no more than two preseason contests.
Bowness said the contract remains outside his control, but his conversation with Fantilli on Tuesday night gave him no reason to question the center’s readiness.
“His heart is in the right place,” Bowness said. “He loves being here and he loves being a Blue Jacket.”
The coach said Fantilli had an encouraging end-of-season meeting with the staff and asked for a larger role. Columbus intends to give him that responsibility when he returns. Fantilli finished last season with 13 power-play points, including four goals, added three game-winning goals and led the Blue Jackets with two overtime winners.
Columbus went 40-30-12 for 92 points last season, finishing fifth in the Metropolitan Division. It was the club’s highest point total since the 2018-19 team earned 98, but the Blue Jackets still missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a sixth consecutive year.
Bowness said Fantilli is understandably disappointed to be away from the room, but he trusts the player’s summer work. “When he gets here, physically and mentally, he’ll be prepared,” the coach said.
