The Columbus Blue Jackets signed Adam Fantilli to an entry-level contract last week. This means Fantilli will not return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore year and will play for the NHL club in 2023-24. After drafting him 3rd overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Blue Jackets organization and fanbase (The Fifth Line) are extremely excited to see what the future holds. Heading into the draft on Wednesday, Fantilli was considered a generational talent who would eventually fill a franchise’s number-one center role.
With the addition of Fantilli, we’re going to look at the center depth the Blue Jackets currently have. With more than enough talent to go around, it will be interesting to see how these guys are used and who emerges as the season progresses.
Current Centers on Roster
In order of age, the Blue Jackets have Boone Jenner, Sean Kuraly, Alex Texier, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and Adam Fantilli at the center position. This leaves six guys to fill the four available center spots. Jenner and Kuraly are locked at center, as they have both earned a living (for different reasons) at the NHL level in this spot.
Texier returns to the Blue Jackets after a year in Switzerland where he was primarily a winger but has played some center in the past. Johnson is another guy who has played some center but also spent the majority of his NHL time as a winger. Sillinger has been a middle-six center the last two years with the Blue Jackets, and Fantilli will likely slot into a role at center to begin the season.
Jenner and Kuraly Bookend Center Depth Chart
Jenner has been a mainstay on the first line for a few seasons. Since being named captain of the team going into the 2021-22 season, he has had two of his highest-producing seasons offensively. Jenner is known for his compete level and energy, refusing to be outworked in all three zones. This makes him a great center on the first line, complementing highly skilled players such as Patrik Laine and Johnny Gaudreau. He also had the best face-off numbers of the returning centers, winning 54.7% of face-offs in 68 GP last season. Given his increased production, leadership role, and ability to create offensive opportunities based on his compete, it’s safe to say that Jenner will slot in as the number-one center to begin the season.
Kuraly is a very reliable center on the fourth line for a lot of the same reasons as Jenner is on the first line. Kuraly’s speed and compete allow him to win battles that it appears he has no business winning. While he does not have the same offensive touch as Jenner, he has scored double-digit goals each of his two seasons with the Blue Jackets – something he did not do in four years with the Boston Bruins. Kuraly provides a much-needed element on an NHL fourth line and is able to take away opponents’ time and space on a nightly basis. The hometown boy will be providing a boost to the Blue Jackets’ fourth line next year.
How the Middle Six Shakes Out
To start, we’ll address Texier and Johnson. Both of these guys should be on the wing to start the year, with the potential to move to center if needed. This will allow for Sillinger and Fantilli to play their preferred, natural position while giving the Blue Jackets excellent depth should injuries become an issue. The speed that both Texier and Johnson bring to the table is also nicely suited for the wing position, where they are more likely to be in spots to use their speed to create offense off the rush.
Sillinger is a natural goal scorer who has had a bit of an up-and-down NHL career so far. Last season he saw some significant time in the American Hockey League (AHL) (11 GP) compared to his rookie year (2021-22), where he played 79 of 82 regular season NHL games and no AHL games. He also had a drop in production from 16 goals in 79 GP to three goals in 64 GP last season.
Before writing Sillinger off, it’s important to remember he’s only 20 years old and is far from a finished product. He’s been able to produce at every level he’s played at and went through a rough patch many young prospects experience. For a guy like him, a coaching change can be the perfect catalyst for a better season. I think Sillinger makes sense to slot in as a third-line center, and if surrounded with wingers who can feed him the puck, he can find the back of the net. He’s a guy to watch this year as he’ll be entering the final year of his entry-level contract and looking to make a statement.
Fantilli is the lone center not discussed so far – the youngest guy in the group with the highest potential. Starting Fantilli out on the second line is a natural spot. This will allow him to adjust to the NHL and get his feet under him without thrusting him into the top center role right away. More favorable matchups and less pressure are a good thing for any rookie in the league, especially one with the expectations of becoming a franchise first-line center. Having said this, he could work his way into that top-center role. I would not be surprised if that were the case come the second half of the season.
Fantilli’s size and skating ability should allow him to create offense both off the rush and in the zone. His hockey IQ will help him defensively regardless of the difference in pace of play. His history of adjusting quickly from one level to the next makes me believe he will have no problem adjusting to the NHL. In his first season in the United States Hockey League, at 16, he produced 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 49 GP. Last year, as a freshman at the University of Michigan, he led college hockey with 30 goals and 35 assists for 65 points in 36 GP.
Having Two Centers on One Line is a Good Thing
Taking what’s been laid out so far, we have:
First-Line Center: Jenner
Second-Line Center: Fantilli
Third-Line Center: Sillinger
Fourth-Line Center: Kuraly
Whether in the regular season or playoffs, the importance of a team’s depth at center can not be understated. What I really like about the Blue Jackets’ center depth is the fact that guys like Johnson and Texier can be wingers by design, with the ability to adjust on the fly. Between the chaos that occurs in every NHL shift and the structure of each team’s defensive zone system, guys may end up playing in spots that aren’t shown on the lineup chart. For example, if the left-winger returns to the D zone before the center (depending on the D zone system), he may be required to play the center role until a switch can happen. For some wingers, this can be really uncomfortable and lead to defensive breakdowns.
With Johnson and Texier in the lineup somewhere through the middle six, these guys can add a huge layer of support to Fantilli and Sillinger when needed. This is something that will help Sillinger, who is looking to rebound from a down year. It will also help Fantili in his adjustment to the NHL level as well. I think having this built-in support system on individual lines is a promising first step to allowing Sillinger and Fantilli to reach their full potential while providing the Blue Jackets with depth that rivals any team in the NHL.
