Blue Jackets Need Big Season From Fantilli to Make Playoff Push

The Columbus Blue Jackets have already had a busy offseason and there is still far more work to be done. Grabbing the headlines currently is the contract situation between the team and young goaltender Jet Greaves, the two sides a good distance apart on salary.

The most important part of the offseason revolves around young center Adam Fantilli: his contract status, his ascension to legitimate franchise forward levels, and his ability to truly elevate the Blue Jackets in the pursuit of a playoff spot.

Fantilli Must Take a Big Step Forward

Because he is just 21 years old, it is hard to remember that Fantilli already has three seasons under his belt. As a 20-year-old, he made the jump from 12 goals to 31 and doubled his point production from 27 to 54. It felt like he was on the cusp of superstardom.

Yet in his third season, the statistical growth was marginal. He dropped to 24 goals but hit new career highs in assists (35) and points (59). Yes, he showed stronger underlying metrics, indicating his capacity as a strong two-way center, but it still isn’t the star level that was expected of him when he was taken third overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.

If the Blue Jackets are going to finally get over the hump and back into the playoffs, they need Fantilli to be a true offensive engine. He needs to take his underlying metrics to the next level while bringing his production along with it. Getting back to the 30-goal mark while hitting 70 or more points would be a very positive sign for both Fantilli and the Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets Need to be Proactive

In the summer of offer sheets, Blue Jackets fans should probably be nervous that Fantilli, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned. And given the fat contracts handed out to Leo Carlsson and Connor Bedard, it is going to cost the Blue Jackets a pretty penny to retain Fantilli.

With the unrestricted free agent market barren, teams are realizing just how difficult it is to acquire franchise-level forwards. It is the reason the Philadelphia Flyers made such a huge offer for Carlsson. It’s the same reason why Blue Jackets fans should be hoping for a new deal sooner rather than later.

Being put in a compromising situation similar to that of Carlsson would be an embarrassment for the Blue Jackets. They already have to be concerned about their ability to keep key players like Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko; fumbling Fantilli’s next deal would only exacerbate those issues.

Fantilli Needs to Become the Face of the Franchise

More than anything, the Blue Jackets need to see their investment in Fantilli pay off. Whatever they sign him for, they can’t settle for him being a de facto No. 1 center. He has to be everything they hoped he would be.

And while Werenski is easily the current face of the franchise, there is room for Fantilli to be that guy. The league’s fans always flock to high-scoring, electrifying players. Fantilli has the skill set to be one of those guys and to become “the guy” in Columbus.

Aside from the Carolina Hurricanes, the contenders in the NHL usually have at least one superstar forward. The Blue Jackets need Fantilli to be that guy for them both now and well into the future.

The Blue Jackets Need Internal Growth for a Playoff Push

The Blue Jackets have what it takes to be a playoff team. That requires significant growth from young players, Fantilli chief among them. The core is young and promising, something fans have seen before only to be let down en route to another rebuild.

If Fantilli can elevate himself into the upper echelon of young centers, it will be a major boon for the Blue Jackets. Moreover, it will finally give them the true elite forward that they have been missing since the days of Rick Nash.