Starting training camp without Adam Fantilli is another colossal failure by the Blue Jackets

Training camp is well under way in Columbus, with the Blue Jackets holding their first on-ice sessions today. There is one glaring omission from the team's roster groups, however. Adam Fantilli, set to be the team's #1 center in what has been set up as a crucial season, is not taking part.

Fantilli is reportedly training in Michigan, as he awaits a new contract from the Blue Jackets. In my opinion, this is a colossal failure by both Don Waddell, and the entire organization. To be honest, it's a little bit embarrassing.

The terms were laid out in July.

This wouldn't be so frustrating if Fantilli were asking for some kind of unprecedented deal. But, unprecedented has become the new precedent this summer. That was the case the moment Anaheim's Leo Carlsson signed a 5 year, $90 million dollar offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers.

That deal was later matched by the Ducks, who retained their #1 center at a much higher than expected AAV. Which was smart business, because guys like this rarely come along, and when you have them, you have to do everything within your power to hold onto them.

So, why is it that we're two and a half months down the road, and there seems to be no sense of urgency regarding Fantilli's extension in Columbus? This is a question that has been bothering me for several weeks now, as the organization just seems to be in no real hurry to get this contract done.

The comps are too close to overlook. Carlsson is easily the best one. Taken one slot ahead of Fantilli at the 2023 NHL Draft, he has 61 goals and 141 points in 201 games. Meanwhile, Fantilli has 67 goals and 140 points in 213 games.

Right off the hop, you can see where the player's representatives would use this as a comp from their end. And, I don't think the Blue Jackets would be crazy to counter that with a much lower deal. That's because the offer sheet blew Carlsson's AAV way above and beyond where it likely should have landed.

From the team's perspective, they are certainly trying to compare Connor Bedard as the absolute high-end of things. And that makes sense-Bedard signed a 5-year, $75 million dollar contract just 2 weeks after the big offer sheet blew up the league's salary structure.

He's easily the most productive player of the trio, so Waddell and his staff have to take that deal into consideration. Still, from the outside perspective, it's not that hard to see where this deal needs to land: 5 years, $13.5 or $14 million per. We have said that for two months.

So, why is the deal not done? Where is the sense of urgency? Why are the Blue Jackets okay with allowing this to drag out into the preseason? Waddell himself continues to calm the waters, casually mentioning in his preseason press conference yesterday that they would send another proposal "within 24 hours".

How does that even make sense? This team waited 23 years to draft a player of this caliber, but they can't seem to find middle ground on his first post-ELC contract. And they aren't in any hurry to do it, from the sound of things.

In a season where everything needs to go right, this is something that is well within management's control that is going horribly wrong. Every day of training camp missed by Fantilli is a step in the wrong direction. It's yet another colossal failure from the organization, in a long line of many.

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