COLUMBUS — The wait stretched into training camp, but the Blue Jackets and Adam Fantilli finally reached the agreement both sides needed. Columbus signed the 21-year-old center Thursday to a six-year, $82.5 million contract that runs through the 2031-32 season.
The deal carries a $13.75 million annual salary-cap charge and includes a $10 million signing bonus. Fantilli had been a restricted free agent and missed the first eight days of camp and three preseason games while negotiations continued.
It is an enormous commitment, but Columbus was never dealing with an ordinary young player. The Blue Jackets selected Fantilli third overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, and he has produced 67 goals and 140 points in 213 games. He is already one of the central figures in the organization’s attempt to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Fantilli played all 82 games last season and finished with 24 goals, 35 assists and 59 points. His assist, point, power-play point and shot totals were career highs, and his average ice time increased to 18:54. He scored a career-best 31 goals the previous season and joined Rick Nash and Pierre-Luc Dubois as the only players in franchise history with multiple 20-goal seasons before turning 22.
The $13.75 million cap hit pays Fantilli for what Columbus expects him to become, not only what he has done through three seasons. His goal total slipped last year, but the rest of his offensive production grew as his role expanded. The next step is turning those flashes of top-line talent into consistent play across an entire season.
The timing also matters. Columbus avoided carrying the dispute into the regular season and can now get Fantilli back into the lineup before the games begin to count. The Blue Jackets open the season Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena.
For a franchise that has missed the playoffs six consecutive seasons, securing a foundational player removes one major uncertainty. The contract does not solve every problem facing the Blue Jackets, but it ensures their most important young center will be part of the solution for years to come.
