Insider Reveals Latest On Adam Fantilli Extension Holdup

Columbus Blue Jackets fans are patiently—or should we say, anxiously—awaiting the signing of their young stud center and current restricted free agent Adam Fantilli. We're now just over 10 days away from the start of training camp. What's the latest on the holdup? 

Insider Elliotte Friedman has the update on this situation, as he informed the crew on NHL Network this week. It all comes down to the fact that the cost of doing business has changed dramatically since the Leo Carlsson offer sheet and subsequent signing earlier this summer. 

Look, I think there was a 'Before Carlsson' and an 'After Carlson' price with Fantilli. And for what Fantilli's 'After Carlson' price would be, I don't think Columbus has gotten there yet. Now, I haven't heard that that's on the road to any serious trouble, but I just heard that the price changed and Columbus hadn't gotten there yet.

With Carlsson's number coming in at $18 million annually with the Anaheim Ducks (thanks to the Philadelphia Flyers), and then Connor Bedard's tipping the scales at a $15M AAV with the Chicago Blackhawks, the original $12M to $12.5M range that the Blue Jackets were planning on for Fantilli just won't fly anymore. 

Columbus is currently sitting on about $12.6 million in cap space, which means that offloading a contract of some kind is going to be needed to get this done. 

As for the comps with Carlsson and Bedard, it doesn't take a big stretch to figure this out: Fantilli was the third overall pick in that 2023 NHL Draft, with Bedard going first and Carlsson second. Fantilli posted 24 goals and 59 points in 82 games last season, while Carlsson registered 29 goals and 67 points in 70 games, and Bedard posted 30 goals and 75 points in 69 contests. 

Regardless, most observers expect that GM Don Waddell will figure something out and get Fantilli's signature on a new deal by the time training camp opens on September 16th.