Blue Jackets confident Adam Fantilli contract resolution will come ‘in the near future’

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell thinks forward Adam Fantilli and the team will resolve their contract negotiation soon.

According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, Waddell said he is “still confident that we’ll find a resolution in the near future.” While he said he has no plans for when he’ll speak next with Pat Brisson, Fantilli’s agent, he added that he’ll send his representation a proposal in the next 24 hours.

Fantilli became an restricted free agent after his three-year, entry-level contract expired following the 2025-26 campaign. According to PuckPedia, the Blue Jackets have nearly $11.7 million in cap space, but Fantilli’s camp may try to negotiate a cap hit that’s higher than that, considering the numbers we’ve seen players sign for in recent weeks.

Fantilli had 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points in 82 games with the Blue Jackets in 2025-26. Through three NHL seasons, the Nobleton, Ont., native has 67 goals and 73 assists for 140 points in 213 career regular-season games.

Last month, Daily Faceoff feature writer Scott Maxwell ranked Fantilli the No. 2 restricted free agent:

“It’s felt like for all three seasons of Fantilli’s career, he’s been on the cusp of breaking out into an elite player at the level of his third-overall pick pedigree,” Maxwell wrote. “The talent is clearly there, and he’s proven he can handle a top-six role, but he hasn’t nailed down the consistency yet of being an elite player.”

Fantilli was taken No. 3 overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. In just one season of college hockey, Fantilli had 30 goals and 35 assists for 65 points in 36 NCAA games.

With files from Daily Faceoff’s Scott Maxwell