COLUMBUS — The Columbus Blue Jackets re-signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year, $82.5-million contract on Thursday, ending a restricted free agent holdout that cost him the first week of training camp. The deal carries a $13.75 million average annual value and makes the 21-year-old the highest-paid player on the roster.
The Canadian was the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft after winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey at the University of Michigan. He finished second on Columbus with 24 goals and third in scoring with 59 points last season, becoming the third player in franchise history with multiple 20-goal campaigns before turning 22. “Adam Fantilli has all of the tools you look for in a player — speed, size, skill — along with a competitive drive to succeed,” general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “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."
The contract slots Fantilli among the top earners from his draft class. Chicago's Connor Bedard, the first overall pick, signed a five-year contract averaging $15 million, while Anaheim's Leo Carlsson, taken second, landed a five-year deal after the Ducks matched an $18 million per season offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. San Jose's Will Smith, picked fourth overall, remains on the final year of his entry-level contract.
Fantilli is expected to center Columbus' top line alongside Kirill Marchenko and Valeri Nichushkin. Marchenko led the Blue Jackets with 27 goals last season, while Nichushkin was acquired from Colorado during the offseason.
The commitment pairs Fantilli with defenceman and reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski, who has two years remaining on his contract, as Columbus chases its first playoff berth since 2020.