Adam Fantilli Signs 6-Year, $82.5 Million Deal with Blue Jackets After Missing Start of Camp

The Columbus Blue Jackets have needed good news in the worst kind of way. On Thursday afternoon, they were able to provide some to their fans.

The Blue Jackets and Adam Fantilli agreed to a 6-year, $82.5 million contract that sees the talented forward tied to Columbus until the 2031-32 season. The $13.75 million AAV is by far the largest AAV the team has signed anyone to in franchise history.

The deal comes after Fantilli missed the first week of training camp. Despite a lot of confidence that a deal would get done sooner, the sides were apart on both money and term until the last 24-48 hours.

Fantilli now has one week and possibly one preseason game in order to be ready for the Blue Jackets’ season opener on Oct 1 against the Buffalo Sabres.

In the end, it’s a deal that the Blue Jackets had to pony up for. It’s also a deal that shows the spotlight will be on Fantilli to elevate his game.

A Done Deal

Here is what GM Don Waddell had to say once the deal was announced.

“Adam Fantilli has all of the tools you look for in a player – speed, size, skill – along with a competitive drive to succeed. He is one of the most exciting young players in the NHL and a big part of what we are building in Columbus, so this is a very exciting day for our organization and our fans.“

As it turns out, the Cutter Gauthier deal in Anaheim provided a framework for the Fantilli deal. Gauthier got six years and $81 million from the Ducks coming off a 40-goal season.

Fantilli’s leverage was his sheer importance to the Blue Jackets. He is their number-one center of the future. While the Leo Carlsson offer sheet did impact these negotiations, it was Gauthier and Connor Bedard’s contracts that set the stage for this deal.

The deal also buys two of Fantilli’s UFA years. Term was always an important factor for the Blue Jackets. In order for them to get him to sign for six years, the money had to match. Ultimately, the team was able to get to the threshold.

Our Instant Reaction

This piece of business had to get done. Training camp and the preseason were short enough as it was. Having this drag into the regular season would have done no one any good.

The deal also signifies the commitment and belief the Blue Jackets have in Fantilli. Despite 24 goals and 59 points last season, he had a career-low shooting percentage. His two-way play is on the rise. It has to keep rising at a good pace over the next six years to make the deal worth it.

The deal also signals some stability for the future in light of some current questions. With Fantilli now signed, the next things to determine are Kirill Marchenko’s and Zach Werenski’s futures. If the team can navigate these situations, suddenly, things aren’t looking so bad at Nationwide Arena after a crazy offseason.

Fantilli has always expressed his love and desire for being a Blue Jacket. Thursday’s deal signifies that. The next steps are now on him to help take the team to the next level.

Under this new market, Fantilli got a fair contract. Now he can focus on the important stuff, helping his team win as many games as possible.

For Waddell, the next thing to watch is potential moves. Will LTIR get involved? Do they want to add another player before the season? The Blue Jackets had to get this deal done to know what they had to work with.

Finally, Fantilli is signed. For everyone involved with the Blue Jackets, it’s a moment worth celebrating. It’s also a big sigh of relief it didn’t drag on further than it already did.