Just over the two weeks remain before the Columbus Blue Jackets open training camp and restricted free agent Adam Fantilli is still without a contract in place.
Blue Jackets general manager Don Wadell told Brian Hedger of The Columbus Dispatch he is not worried about opening camp without the 21-year-old forward.
“No, not at all,” Waddell said. ”We’re in communication. There’s a little difference of opinion right now, which is normal, and I’m confident that we’ll have him done before training camp.”
Fantilli recorded 24 goals and 59 points in 82 games last season. It is possible that contract asks have adjusted to the market this summer as young stars around the league have cashed in.
Fellow restricted free agent Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers in early July that will see him carry a league-high average annual value of $18 million this season.
San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini inked a five-year, $94 million extension just weeks later that will see him carry a cap hit of $18.8 million when it kicks in next July. In the middle, Chicago Blackhawks restricted free agent Connor Bedard signed a five-year deal at a $15 million cap hit.
The five-year term will walk each of the players to unrestricted free agency when their contracts expire. Waddell is hoping for a longer term with Fantilli, but it appears there is still plenty to hammer out for the two sides.
“The long-term contracts are becoming more and more difficult to get done,” Waddell said. “So, obviously, we’re trying to get as much term as we possibly can. That’s one of the differences we have, and then money is obviously a big part of it.”
The Blue Jackets have $12.6 million in cap space to work with, per CapFriendly, as the team works to find a deal with Fantilli. The team’s off-season has been highlighted by the addition of Valeri Nichushkin in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche and inking new deals with goaltender Jet Greaves and forward Cole Sillinger.
While there was a plenty of noise around a potential trade involving star defenceman Zach Werenski, the two sides have stated they intend to move forward together. Werenski, though, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2028 and it remains unclear if his long-term future is with the team.
Columbus could potentially see an additional $5.4 million in cap space if Elvis Merzlikins is placed on long-term injured reserve. The team announced earlier this month that the goaltender is without a timeline after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Drafted third overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2023 draft, Fantilli has 67 goals and 140 points in 213 career games. The 6-foot-2 centre is coming off his three-year, entry-level contract.
Prior to his NHL career, Fantilli played one season with the University of Michigan, recording 30 goals and 65 points to win the Hobey Baker Award in 2023.
