Blue Jackets Lock Up Fantilli on Six-Year, $82.5M Deal

Adam Fantilli isn't going anywhere. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Thursday that they have signed the 21-year-old centre to a six-year contract worth $82.5 million, an average annual value of $13.75 million.

President of hockey operations Don Waddell called Fantilli a central part of the club's plans in the team's announcement.

Fantilli, the third overall pick in 2023 and a restricted free agent this summer, had yet to appear in training camp while the talks dragged. He centred Columbus' top line for most of last season and put up 24 goals and a career-high 35 assists for 59 points in 82 games, along with a minus-13 rating, as the Blue Jackets missed the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

The Nobleton, Ont., native has 67 goals and 73 assists in 213 games since debuting in 2023-24. He won the Hobey Baker Award at Michigan in 2023 as a freshman.