- Ryan Lambert named the Red Wings, Kraken and Flames as offer sheet fits for Adam Fantilli
- Aaron Portzline expects a five-year deal near $13.5 million instead
- Read below for what each team would have to give up
Adam Fantilli is still unsigned, and the list of teams that could make life difficult for Columbus keeps growing.
The Hockey News writer Ryan Lambert named three clubs that should take a run at the Blue Jackets center with an offer sheet: the Detroit Red Wings, the Seattle Kraken and the Calgary Flames. His case opens with a number. Twenty-four teams currently hold enough draft capital to tender Fantilli at maximum compensation, which costs four first-round picks over the next five years.
Detroit is the cleanest fit on paper. The Red Wings carry roughly $19.6 million in cap space, the most in the league, and a captain in Dylan Larkin who does not appear thrilled about sticking around.
Fantilli also played his college hockey at Michigan. Lambert’s read is that Detroit could sign him, then flip Larkin for futures to restock the picks it just shipped to Columbus.
Seattle is the desperation play. The Kraken threw huge money at Jason Robertson in a trade proposal this summer and at Artemi Panarin during last season, and both said no.
An $18 million cap hit would shove Seattle right up against the ceiling. Lambert floated Shane Wright plus picks and prospects as a package Columbus might like better than four firsts.
Calgary is the long game. Mikael Backlund led Flames forwards in ice time last season at 36 years old, and the club wants to be relevant when its new building opens in the fall of 2027.
He fits that timeline perfectly. What Calgary lacks is the cap room to blow Columbus away and the prospect stash to force a trade instead.
One reporter who covers the team every day sees the threat differently. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic was asked on NHL Tonight where the negotiation stands:
“It’s kind of quieted down best I can tell. You would assume if Fantilli was gonna get an offer sheet, it would’ve happened by now. I don’t think there’s much fear of that right now.”
Portzline put a price and a date on it too. He expects a five-year contract between $13 million and $13.5 million per season, signed in the first week of September.
None of this would be a conversation without Leo Carlsson. Philadelphia tendered the Anaheim center a five-year, $90 million offer sheet on July 3, the Ducks matched it inside the week, and every young center’s ask jumped.
Columbus would move whatever it had to in order to match, and Don Waddell has shown zero urgency to rush the process. Zach Werenski said earlier this month that he is not worried about his teammate getting paid.
Fantilli finished last season with 24 goals and 35 assists in 82 games. His price has climbed every week the Blue Jackets have waited.
