Tag: Adam Fantilli

IHM NHL Rumors: Could Gauthier’s six-year deal shape Fantilli’s talks?

Could Gauthier’s six-year deal shape Fantilli’s talks?

By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | Published:

Story Summary

Adam Fantilli, the 21-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets forward, has reportedly been seeking $15 million in contract talks. Chris Johnston suggested that Cutter Gauthier’s reported $13.5 million six-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks could offer a reference point and a possible path forward in Fantilli’s negotiation. Johnston said Columbus had been a few million dollars per year below Fantilli’s reported ask and described the talks as a slow grind. With training camp shortened, he stressed that missed days are important preparation time for a player.

Key Facts

  • Adam Fantilli is a 21-year-old forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
  • Fantilli’s camp was reported to be asking for $15 million per season.
  • Cutter Gauthier signed a six-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks; the deal was reported at $13.5 million.
  • Chris Johnston suggested on The Chris Johnston Show that Gauthier’s deal might offer a path forward for Fantilli’s negotiations.
  • Johnston said the Blue Jackets’ offer was a few million dollars per year under Fantilli’s reported $15 million ask.
  • Johnston described the Fantilli negotiations as a ” slow grind”.
  • Johnston noted this year’s training camp is shorter and that even a couple of missed days are important to player readiness.
  • Johnston observed Fantilli has ” achieved a lot more in his career than some of the guys we mentioned signing long-term deals,” while still pushing for a substantial contract.

IHM Discussion

This is a contract negotiation between a young Columbus forward and his club. The public markers are Fantilli’s reported $15 million ask, a Blue Jackets offer described as a few million dollars lower per year, and Gauthier’s newly completed six-year deal in Anaheim, reported at $13.5 million. Johnston’s point was that Gauthier’s agreement may give both sides another recent reference point.

Fantilli’s camp can lean on the achievements Johnston referenced, while Columbus must decide what it is prepared to commit. A negotiation described as a slow grind also becomes more pressing in a shortened camp, when missed time limits a player’s preparation.

Gauthier’s contract does not determine Fantilli’s value or guarantee a quick resolution. It simply gives the two sides another comparable to consider as they try to narrow the gap.

Why It Matters

The eventual agreement will shape Columbus’s salary planning and determine when Fantilli can return to full preparation with the club. Johnston’s description of a shortened camp makes timing relevant: missed days reduce the time available to prepare for the season. Gauthier’s deal may be useful to the negotiation, but it does not establish where Fantilli’s contract will land.

IHM Market Outlook

Gauthier’s reported $13.5 million six-year agreement gives Fantilli’s negotiations another recent point of comparison. Johnston suggested it could help bridge the gap between Fantilli’s reported ask and Columbus’s position, but any effect remains speculative. Fantilli’s camp can still argue that his own record supports a different outcome.

Mini Q&A

What has Adam Fantilli’s camp reportedly asked for?

Fantilli’s camp was reported to be asking for $15 million per season.

How might Cutter Gauthier’s deal affect Fantilli’s talks?

Johnston suggested that Gauthier’s reported $13.5 million six-year contract with Anaheim could offer a reference point that helps bridge the gap between Fantilli’s reported ask and Columbus’s offer.

What did Johnston say about the Blue Jackets’ offer?

Johnston said the Blue Jackets’ offer was a few million dollars per year under Fantilli’s reported $15 million ask.

Why is timing important in this negotiation?

Johnston noted this year’s training camp is shorter, so missing even a couple of days of camp is significant to a player’s preparation and could increase urgency around reaching a deal.

Coach Mark Comment

A shortened camp places more value on every day a player is available. Coaches use that time to establish systems, assess combinations and build conditioning, so an absence can compress a player’s preparation. The priority for Columbus is to have Fantilli signed and back in the group with enough time to be ready for the season.

What Comes Next

pre-season began on September 19, and the 2026-27 regular season opens on September 29. Those dates increase the practical importance of a resolution, although Johnston did not predict when an agreement would be reached.

IHM Final View

Gauthier’s reported $13.5 million six-year deal gives Fantilli’s talks a fresh point of comparison, not a definitive answer. Fantilli’s reported $15 million ask, Columbus’s lower position and the shortened camp leave room for compromise or a continued impasse. The key question is whether the new Anaheim agreement helps narrow that gap.

Blue Jackets lock up Jet Greaves on three-year deal

Blue Jackets lock up Jet Greaves on three-year deal

By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | Published:

Story Summary

The Columbus Blue Jackets have agreed a three-year, $15 million contract with goaltender Jet Greaves, the club announced on July 23. The deal, worth an average annual value of $5 million, keeps the 25-year-old netminder in Columbus after he filed for arbitration earlier this month and avoided a hearing.

Key Facts

  • Contract: three years, $15 million total, $5 million average annual value.
  • Agreement announced by the Blue Jackets on July 23, 2026. Greaves had filed for salary arbitration on July 5 and then avoided a hearing.
  • 2025-26 season numbers: 26-19-9 record, 2.60 goals-against average,.908 save percentage, two shutouts in 55 games (53 starts). Those figures were career highs in games played and wins.
  • Career through 2025-26 with Columbus: 36-28-11, 2.61 GAA,.913 save percentage, four shutouts in 76 games (73 starts). He was signed by Columbus as an undrafted free agent on February 20, 2022.
  • Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell described Greaves as a “high-character, talented and athletic goaltender who has become an important part of our hockey club.”
  • Columbus still lists two restricted free agents: forwards Cole Sillinger, who also filed for arbitration, and Adam Fantilli.

IHM Discussion

The Blue Jackets have chosen continuity between the pipes. Greaves arrived in the NHL as an undrafted addition and produced a breakthrough season in 2025-26, logging the workload of a clear starter while posting solid, if not elite, traditional goaltending metrics. By signing him to a three-year bridge-style commitment, Columbus gives itself stability in net while preserving flexibility to evaluate whether Greaves can progress toward a long-term ceiling.

There are two ways to view this outcome. From the club perspective, the deal prevents an adversarial arbitration hearing, secures a young starter with NHL experience and signals faith in internal development. From a roster-management angle, the contract locks in a $5 million annual cost against future cap obligations and narrows options should the club want to upgrade through trade or free agency. Both views are valid: the Blue Jackets secure short-term certainty, while still reserving the right to reassess after the contract term.

Greaves avoiding arbitration after filing on July 5 also matters for internal negotiations. It removes a public standoff, allowing the team and player to move forward without the procedural strain of a hearing. That dynamic can be important for a young netminder establishing his role and rapport with a developing defensive group around him.

IHM Market Outlook

At an AAV of $5 million, this contract places Greaves in the middle of the restricted-goaltender market for a goaltender with his playing sample. The term gives Columbus time to judge whether his.908 save percentage and 2.60 GAA are a platform to build on, or regression risk once the sample grows. For general manager decision-making, the deal sets a benchmark when evaluating other goaltending options: any external upgrade would need to clear both a monetary and a timing hurdle against a locked-in starter.

The presence of two remaining key restricted free agents complicates the Blue Jackets’ summer. Cole Sillinger, who also filed for arbitration, and Adam Fantilli represent important allocation questions. How the front office distributes available cap room between forward depth and goaltending depth will shape roster construction before training camp.

Why It Matters

For Columbus, the immediate effect is simple: the team retains the netminder who led it in wins a season ago and who has shown he can shoulder a heavy workload. That continuity matters because goaltending is a stabilising influence over a season-long campaign. A reliable starter helps coaching staff plan deployment, influences defensive strategy and alters trade-market urgency.

There are also stakes for Greaves. The three-year term is long enough to establish his role, but not so long that it removes incentive for improvement. He now has a clear runway to refine consistency, reduce high-danger chances against and convert promising underlying metrics into stronger counting stats. Conversely, if his save percentage and goals-against average trend in the wrong direction, the Blue Jackets will have to decide whether to invest further or to seek alternatives before the contract expires.

Finally, the wider roster picture will determine how much defensive support Greaves receives. Netminders are inevitably affected by team shot quality and structure. How Columbus allocates assets in the coming weeks will shape Greaves’ environment and his statistical outlook for 2026-27.

Fan Pulse

Was this the right term and price for Greaves, given his 2025-26 breakout? How should Columbus prioritise its remaining restricted free agents while balancing development and short-term competitiveness?

Mini Q& A

Who did Columbus sign and for how long?
Columbus signed goaltender Jet Greaves to a three-year contract worth $15 million, with an average annual value of $5 million.

Did Greaves go to arbitration?
Greaves filed for salary arbitration on July 5 but avoided an arbitration hearing after reaching the new contract with Columbus on July 23.

What were Greaves’ stats last season?
He went 26-19-9 with a 2.60 goals-against average, a.908 save percentage and two shutouts in 55 games, with 53 starts.

How long has he been with the Blue Jackets?
Greaves was signed as an undrafted free agent by Columbus on February 20, 2022, and has 76 career games with the club through 2025-26.

What roster questions remain for Columbus?
The Blue Jackets still have two notable restricted free agents: Cole Sillinger, who filed for arbitration, and Adam Fantilli. Their situations will influence how the club deploys resources this summer.

Coach Mark Comment

Locking in a young starter like Jet Greaves is as much a coaching decision as it is a management one, because the day-to-day development of a goaltender lives inside the routine. From a technical standpoint the priorities are clear: stabilise crease control, sharpen lateral movement, and reduce rebound frequency. Rebound suppression is not only a reflex training problem, it is a team-wide responsibility that ties directly into defensive structure and shot-blocking habits. If the defence can limit lateral cross-ice feeds and second-chance opportunities, a goaltender will appear cleaner in the box score even while making the same number of saves.

On the cognitive side, workload management becomes essential. Logging 53 starts is a heavy season for a 25-year-old, and how a coaching staff sequences starts, handles back-to-back scenarios and plans recovery days will influence long-term durability. Communication is another coaching lever. Greaves should be embedded in pre-scout meetings, penalty-kill discussions and transition drills so his puck-handling decisions and coaching reads mesh with partner defence pairs. That alignment reduces chaos on breakout plays and limits high-danger overloads in front of the net.

Finally, development is about measurable progress and role clarity. Use targeted metrics beyond save percentage, such as expected goals against, high-danger save percentage and rebound control rate, to track improvement. Integrate situational reps for game management, including late-game scenario saves and rebound recovery under fatigue. A three-year commitment gives the staff time to move Greaves from an athletic, reaction-based style toward more anticipatory play, improving puck tracking, post-sequence recovery and overall game intelligence. Those are the areas that turn a promising starter into a consistently reliable one.

IHM Final View

Columbus has bought short-term stability and a clear developmental runway by signing Jet Greaves. The contract reflects confidence in a young goaltender who delivered career bests in 2025-26, while keeping the club flexible enough to reassess in three seasons. Success will hinge on how well coaching, defensive structure and roster moves reduce his exposure to dangerous chances and help convert his workload into measurable improvement. For now, the Blue Jackets have their answer in net; the next challenge is to build the supporting cast that lets that answer perform at an even higher level.

Gudbranson: Blue Jackets Focused on Playoffs in 2026-27

Gudbranson: Blue Jackets Focused on Playoffs in 2026-27

By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | Published:

Opening summary

Erik Gudbranson, newly re-signed depth defenceman for the Columbus Blue Jackets, says the club is internally focused on ending a six-season playoff drought despite a noisy offseason that involved coach Rick Bowness and Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski. Gudbranson frames the headlines as external chatter, while pointing to locker-room conversations about training, accountability and a must-have strong start to 2026-27.

Confirmed development

  • The Blue Jackets missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a sixth consecutive season in 2025-26.
  • Erik Gudbranson signed a one-year contract to remain in Columbus, at a reported $1.75 million, and told NHL. com the team is “very focused” on reaching the postseason.
  • Rick Bowness remains the Blue Jackets head coach after replacing Dean Evason midseason; the team went 18-4-4 under Bowness before a late slump.
  • Zach Werenski, who posted 81 points (22 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games and averaged 26:37 ice time, is still a Blue Jacket, and the organisation and player released statements reaffirming their commitment after a period of trade speculation.
  • Columbus has three unsigned restricted free agents mentioned in the report: goalie Jet Greaves, forward Cole Sillinger and forward Adam Fantilli. The piece notes Greaves and Sillinger are arbitration-eligible, Fantilli is not.
  • Former captain Boone Jenner signed a four-year contract with the Washington Capitals as an unrestricted free agent after 13 seasons in Columbus.

Reported claims

  • A report in The Athletic suggested Werenski could request a trade in June. That was followed by coverage that a trade with the Dallas Stars had been worked out the night before free agency, but the defence man vetoed the move. These elements are reported claims cited in the original coverage, not direct admissions from the player in the NHL. com interview.
  • After the report and a meeting between Werenski, his agent Judd Moldaver, and GM Don Waddell, both player and team issued statements restating their commitment.

Why it matters now

This is a make-or-break moment for Columbus directionally. The on-ice results since the 2022-23 season have delivered gradual fits and starts, but not postseason entry. A summer that produced high-profile headlines around the coach and the franchise’s top defenceman threatened to amplify fractures. Gudbranson’s message of internal focus attempts to reframe the narrative towards what teams can control: training, accountability and a successful opening stretch. The next training camp and fall schedule will determine whether the rhetoric matches the results.

Who benefits and who loses opportunity

Beneficiaries

  • Zach Werenski. If he remains centred and engaged, Werenski gives Columbus an elite driver of play and an offensive blueprint from the back end. His 81-point season and heavy minutes are a foundation to build on.
  • Young core players such as Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger. With Jenner gone, there will be more minutes and situational responsibility available to emerging forwards who can earn leadership by performance.
  • Rick Bowness and the coaching staff. A clean start under a coach who stabilised a midseason collapse can validate the decision to re-hire him after his public criticism of the roster.

Losers of opportunity

  • Players who rely on veterans to mask inconsistent play. The team needs ownership from across age groups; those who do not seize expanded roles could see minutes reduced.
  • The organisation if early-season slippage repeats last year. Falling behind early forces reactive moves rather than controlled roster or tactical development.

What becomes stronger

If the reported internal alignment is genuine, Columbus strengthens its culture of collective responsibility. That will show up as quicker zone exits, cleaner breakouts, and more consistent gap control. Werenski provides a top-end anchor for the power play and transitional offence. Depth additions and an experienced group that responded to Bowness’ midseason charge can produce better special-teams deployment and more reliable neutral-zone passes to feed the top scoring lines.

What becomes weaker or riskier

The main risk is fragile buy-in. Public postgame comments from Bowness last season showed friction can become fuel for outside storylines. If any lingering resentment or uncertainty around Werenski remains unaddressed, it could fragment pairings and complicate minutes management. Removing Boone Jenner’s steady leadership also creates a vacuum; unless multiple players step into leadership by example, in-game decision-making and late-game defensive structure could suffer.

Roster and tactical consequences

On paper Columbus keeps its best blueliner in Werenski, while adding or retaining complementary pieces such as Gudbranson. Tactical consequences include:

  • Power play. Werenski is the primary play-driver. Success will depend on zone entry strategies, puck possession in the offensive zone and quick point-to-slot distribution. The coach will need to protect Werenski’s offensive usage without exposing the defensive zone on the penalty kill.
  • Defensive pairings and minutes management. Werenski averages north of 26 minutes per game, which forces careful secondary-pair deployment. If the club leans on heavy minutes for him again, the coaching staff must design matchups that limit high-danger fatigue and protect the second unit from going too long.
  • Forward structure. With Jenner gone, the Blue Jackets must reassign net-front responsibility and penalty-kill leadership. Young forwards will be given push-button opportunities to run net-front cycles and execute forechecks that lead to clean zone exits.
  • Goaltending. With goalies still unsigned according to the report, the club must resolve net stability to avoid early-season volatility that can derail momentum.

What happens next

Training camp in September will be the proving ground. Early non-conference games and the first month of the schedule are where the Blue Jackets must avoid falling behind. Key follow-ups are contract resolutions for restricted free agents, the opening of lines and pairings in camp, and how Bowness publicly and privately manages expectations. If the team strings together a strong start, it reduces the urgency around midseason fixes; if not, management may face pressure to adjust the roster or special-teams approach before the trade deadline.

Coach Mark Comment

This is a club at the intersection of potential and accountability. From a coaching perspective the priority is threefold: stabilise defensive structure, optimise power-play zone time, and create role clarity. Practically that means simplified breakouts to reduce turnovers under pressure, explicit gap-control rules for second and third pairings, and a minutes allocation plan that preserves Werenski for high-leverage minutes while protecting him from low-value two-way minutes that erode effectiveness.

On special teams, the power play must prioritise controlled zone entries and by-the-puck rotation to generate quick cross-ice seams. The penalty kill needs aggressive support from the wingers to limit interior assists, with a focus on shot suppression and blocking lanes rather than overcommitting to puck retrievals that leave the slot exposed. For the forwards, redeploying net-front presence previously occupied by Jenner calls for rehearsed cycle sets and high-danger chance recycling. The coaching staff should run practice modules emphasising transition reads, reactive neutral-zone coverage, and late-game zone management.

Advanced concepts to implement: zone exit mechanics, gap control, matchup deployment, ice-time management, breakout sequencing, net-front committal, transition reads, puck-possession value, high-danger chance suppression and special-teams rotation. The coaching language must be specific and measurable. Leadership is not assigned solely by title. It must be reinforced through line matching, responsibility in key minutes, and scoreboard management. If Bowness and staff consistently translate the stated internal focus into structural practices, Columbus can convert talent into wins. If the talk does not become practice, the season will likely replay last year’s late slide.

IHM Takeaways

  • Confirmed continuity. Werenski and Bowness remain with the club, and Gudbranson describes a locker room concentrating on the playoffs.
  • Cultural reset is partial, not complete. Public incidents and summer headlines need practical follow-through in training and early-season play to avoid becoming recurring distractions.
  • Leadership redistribution is unavoidable. Boone Jenner’s exit creates minutes and responsibility that must be absorbed by emerging talent and veteran stabilisers.
  • Key risk. Early-season slippage would force Columbus into reactionary fixes; the club must instead make proactive moves on roster signings and tactical clarity in camp.

Fan Pulse

Is the Blue Jackets’ locker-room focus enough to finally break a six-year playoff drought, or does the team still need a major roster addition? Discuss which area you would prioritise: goaltending, a top-six forward, or defensive depth.

Mini Q& A

Q: How serious were Bowness’ postgame comments last season?
A: They were blunt public criticism after a disappointing finish. The club rehired Bowness, signalling management backstops his approach. It is now on the coach and players to convert that message into consistent on-ice accountability.

Q: Does Werenski’s situation still present a distraction?
A: The report notes a period of trade speculation, but both player and team issued statements reaffirming their commitment. Gudbranson expects no lingering awkwardness, describing Werenski as a close teammate and friend.

Q: Who must step up after Boone Jenner left?
A: Minutes and leadership opportunities will be available to Fantilli, Sillinger and other young forwards, as well as steady veterans. The team’s claim is that leadership will be situational and shared across the roster.

Q: What is the single biggest on-ice change Columbus needs?
A: A stronger, mistake-light opening stretch. Gudbranson emphasised the need for a good start to avoid being behind the schedule, which implies immediate improvements to breakouts, zone entries and special-teams execution.

Q: Are contract situations a concern?
A: The report lists three remaining unsigned restricted free agents, including an arbitration-eligible goalie and forward. Resolving those contracts matters to depth and rotational planning.

Conclusion

Gudbranson’s comments aim to shift the narrative from offseason noise to internal responsibility. Columbus retains its top offensive defenceman and a stabilising coach, but the team is only as strong as the habits it installs this autumn. The next few months will show if the stated focus becomes disciplined structure on the ice, or if last season’s late collapse proves a recurring pattern. For the Blue Jackets, the margin between playoff entry and another missed opportunity will be found in early-season details: execution on breakouts, minutes management, and who steps forward to lead in Jenner’s absence.

Seattle Kraken 1-2 Columbus Blue Jackets (SO) - Game Recap | IHM News

Seattle Kraken 1-2 Columbus Blue Jackets (SO) – Game Recap | IHM News

Seattle Kraken 1-2 Columbus Blue Jackets (SO)

Blue Jackets survive on special teams and win it in the shootout; Fantilli’s PPG forces overtime.

Nov. 12, 2025 – Author: IHM News

Columbus walked out of Seattle with two points, claiming a 2-1 victory after the shootout. The Blue Jackets erased an early deficit when Adam Fantilli struck on the power play late in the second, and then finished the job in the skills competition through Kirill Marchenko and Charlie Coyle. Seattle opened with a first-period punch but could not solve the Jackets’ structure again, despite a heavy block rate and a sterling performance in goal.

Game Flow

The Kraken landed first at 16:43 of the opening frame: Ryan Winterton drove inside space and finished a net-front touch from Ben Meyers and Jamie Oleksiak for 1-0. Seattle then leaned into a compact neutral-zone look and protected the middle.

Period two flipped on special teams. After a string of minors, Columbus leveled at 18:22 when Fantilli snapped home a left-dot feed on the man advantage, assisted by Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan. That sequence changed the tilt and sent the game tied into the third.

The third period was trench hockey: Seattle absorbed zone time (high block count) while Columbus funneled pucks from the points. Overtime brought controlled entries but no breakdowns, so it went to the shootout.

In the tiebreaker, Marchenko opened Columbus’ account and Coyle sealed it. Seattle’s attempts (including Jordan Eberle, Eeli Tolvanen, Kaapo Kakko) were turned away, giving the Jackets the road win.

Numbers Box

  • Shots on goal: Seattle 23, Columbus 34
  • Blocked shots: Seattle 21, Columbus 11
  • Goalkeeper saves: Seattle 33, Columbus 22
  • Save %: Seattle 97.06% (33/34), Columbus 95.65% (22/23)
  • Penalties: Seattle 4, Columbus 2
  • Power-play impact: Seattle 0 PPG, Columbus 1 PPG (Fantilli)

Team Notes

  • Seattle: Scored first but couldn’t add on; strong interior protection and high block volume kept it tight.
  • Columbus: Special-teams swing and cleaner exits in the third; confident finishes in the shootout.

Coach Mark comment

Columbus managed the middle better as the game wore on and trusted their power-play trigger. Seattle’s structure was fine, but they needed quicker weak-side activation to create second looks. In the shootout, the Jackets showed more deception and speed change.

Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics

Q: What swung the game after Seattle’s first-period lead?
A: Penalties in the second created Columbus’ PPG and momentum; from there the Jackets drove more controlled entries.

Q: Why did Seattle lose despite elite goaltending numbers?
A: Low shot quality after the opener and limited interior touches; the shootout conversion gap finished it.

Q: Which micro-areas Columbus won late?
A: D-zone retrievals and first pass exits, plus better spacing on the PP half-wall sequence.

Q: Who decided the shootout?
A: Kirill Marchenko and Charlie Coyle scored for Columbus; Seattle’s attempts were denied.

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