After months of waiting, we finally know the number. Adam Fantilli agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets this afternoon, putting pen to paper to the tune of $82.5 million dollars. With that new contract comes new expectations, whether fair or not.
It feels like a lifetime ago, but it has only been a little more than three years since the Jackets happily plucked Fantilli with the third overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft. Since then, the franchise has been weeding its way through a bit of a hellscape.
All the while, Fantilli has quietly taken on more of a role as one of the faces of the franchise. And, to be honest, he's been pretty darn good, if not entirely consistent. In 213 games wearing the Union Blue, he's accrued 67 goals and 140 points.
Now, just weeks away from his 22nd birthday, he becomes the 5th highest paid player in the NHL by AAV. What that means for the young pivot is clear: now is the time to put it all together and become the elite #1 center this team hoped it was getting at the draft three years ago.
The expectations are massive.
As you might expect, when you're being paid as one of the top players in the NHL: now you have to prove you can play like one. For the Blue Jackets to make this kind of commitment to a guy whose career-high in points came last year at only 59; he now has to hold up a greater end of the bargain.
I'm confident that he can. Fantilli has not missed a single game over the last two seasons, and in that time, he's just shown consistent improvement in every facet of the game outside of his counting stats. Now, it's time for him to buckle down and start finding more of those counting stats.
He's paid like a top line center, and he needs to start producing like one. This team has spent up to the salary cap for this season, and he's their highest paid player by more than $4 million dollars. It's time for him to become an elite top line player, as his new deal dictates.
Playoffs are the expectation, and Mo can no longer be considered a secondary piece of a potential wild card team. It's time for him to take a much larger step forward, and become a centerpiece of a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations.
Fair or not, that has to be the expectation here and now. The Blue Jackets have put their faith in Fantilli's potential, giving him an incredible amount of financial security. Now, it's up to him to reward their faith and have a big breakout season.
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