Will Adam Fantilli’s Contract Be a Win or Setback for the Blue Jackets? – The Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been very patient this offseason, focusing their efforts on re-signing their restricted free agents (RFAs). They have already signed two of them to new deals, Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger, with the most important one left to finish: Adam Fantilli.

Fantilli’s contract will depend on other contracts recently signed by 2023 NHL Draft picks, including the record-setting Leo Carlsson offer sheet extended by the Philadelphia Flyers that was eventually matched by the Anaheim Ducks and followed by the five-year extension Connor Bedard received from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Now the third overall pick awaits, while expectations have been growing for Fantilli’s extension because GM Don Waddell knows he can’t enter the season without his top-line center signed long-term. His contract will need to be enough for him to want to stick in Columbus long-term, but not enough to drain the team’s remaining cap space, making them less competitive in the future.

Expectations for the Fantilli Term

Following Carlsson and Bedard’s massive extensions, the Blue Jackets will be forced into a difficult decision: bank on one of their brightest young stars to continue to develop, or sign him to a bridge deal hoping they don’t overpay too early in his career.

The contract length will determine how expensive it is, but if management sticks to the model set out by the two extensions signed from the same draft class, it will be a five-year deal. Luckily, Fantilli’s production is not nearly as high as Bedard’s, so Waddell can likely get it down from the $15 million annually that Bedard signed for.

We should expect Fantilli’s deal to land somewhere around $13-$14 million annually, and likely for five years. I think they will land on $13.5 million for five years, which would buy a few of his free agency years, making him an unrestricted free agent at 26 years old.

Aaron Portzline: Re Adam Fantilli/Blue Jackets negotiations: I would bet 13, 13.5 [million] depending upon the term; I think it’s close to getting done – Jason Gregor Show (7/24)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 27, 2026

This would be a great deal for both parties, especially as the cap continues to rise. This number will allow the team to get better and keep Fantilli at the top of the league in annual salary. However, there is another side to consider. If the Fantilli camp knows they hold the power in this situation, they might wait until another team tries to extend an offer sheet in the hopes that he gets a similar number to Carlsson.

It would be a massive overpay, but knowing they could get their client the maximum contract like the Flyers forced the Ducks into, the Blue Jackets could face the same fate. It would force management into a decision they aren’t comfortable with, which could set the team back for years to come.

How the Blue Jackets Win the Deal

If Waddell can lock down Fantilli at $13 million per year or less, the Blue Jackets will have won this deal compared to the rest of the league. If that number jumps into the $14-$15 million range, the team could get stretched thin and would prevent them from adding talent before the season begins.

Ideally, Waddell gets this deal done before he works on anything else, which may even include trading one of his star wingers and Fantilli’s linemate, Kirill Marchenko. Instead, Waddell might want to make another late-summer addition to his roster to try and make the team more competitive this year. Regardless of what he wants to do outside of Fantilli’s contract, he still has to keep his top-line center happy.

Just getting Fantilli under contract will be a win for the Blue Jackets. If Waddell keeps him at a number around or below market value, the team will be in a good position. If Columbus can continue to sign players at or below market value, they will be able to turn themselves into a contender sooner rather than later.

For this contract to look good from multiple perspectives, it will be because of a spike in on-ice performance, which won’t happen overnight. Fantilli will need to tally above a point-per-game pace, which has to do with his linemates helping him and creating more himself.

By the end of the week, I will post projections for forward stats this season and their realistic expectations. However, Fantilli will be key to getting the team back in the playoffs. Expect a deal soon, likely by the end of the week. When it is reported, you can read the full scoop here at The Hockey Writers and on Twitter/X, where we will provide all the details and analysis.