Columbus locks up Fantilli with six-year, $82.5M deal
The Columbus Blue Jackets signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year contract with an average annual value of $13.75 million. Fantilli, a restricted free agent, recorded 59 points in 82 games last season. The 21-year-old is expected to be a key piece of Columbus's future.
Fantilli’s new deal carries the highest average annual value on Columbus’s roster, reflecting the club’s bet on his trajectory after two full NHL seasons. He has already matched a point-per-game pace in college and improved his scoring from 27 to 54 to 59 points across his first three professional campaigns, while staying healthy for the past two. The contract also arrives as the Blue Jackets push to end a playoff drought dating to 2020, with Werenski’s extension talks looming as a parallel priority.
The six-year term covers Fantilli’s prime development years, keeping him under team control through his late 20s. His size and two-way play give Columbus a foundational center to build around alongside Marchenko, Johnson, and Mateychuk, though the team’s postseason hopes still hinge on whether he can elevate to a true top-line role.
This deal signals how rebuilding clubs must commit early to young talent, and it may raise expectations for Fantilli as a franchise cornerstone. Fans could see ticket demand and local engagement rise if he delivers on his potential, while the contract’s size might influence future negotiations for other restricted free agents across the league. Its ultimate impact depends on Columbus returning to contention, which would benefit the team, its supporters, and the broader hockey market in Ohio.