Adam Fantilli to Follow in the Footsteps of Leo Carlsson and Connor Bedard

The summer of 2026 has been a landmark period for the top picks of the 2023 NHL Draft, and the dominoes are falling in a pattern that could reshape how young stars approach their first major contracts. After Leo Carlsson and Connor Bedard each committed to five-year deals, all eyes have turned to the third overall selection from that class, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli, who remains unsigned heading into late July.

A Trend Taking Shape Among the 2023 Draft Class

The template was set earlier this month when Carlsson, drafted second overall by the Anaheim Ducks, signed a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers that Anaheim ultimately matched. Then, on Saturday, Bedard inked a five-year, $75 million extension with the Chicago Blackhawks. Both contracts share a critical structural detail: they buy out only a single year of unrestricted free agency, meaning each player will hit the open market the moment the deal expires.

Now, reporting from those close to the Fantilli negotiations indicates the Columbus forward is the most likely to follow that same path. According to league sources, an eight-year deal, the maximum term currently allowed before rules change on September 15, is not expected to be the outcome. Instead, both sides are working within a range of five to seven years, with five years emerging as the frontrunner. That would mirror exactly what Bedard and Carlsson agreed to, and it would set up the summer of 2031 as a potentially historic free agency period featuring all three of the top picks from the same draft.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has been in daily contact with Fantilli's agent, Pat Brisson, and described the negotiations as active and amicable. While Waddell declined to comment directly on how Bedard's deal might influence the talks, he emphasized that each contract comes down to what a player is worth both now and in the future, rather than being driven by fear of offer sheets or external market forces.

The Risk Columbus Faces

For the Blue Jackets, a five-year deal carries a real and significant risk: it walks Fantilli directly to unrestricted free agency at age 25 or 26, giving him the power to leave Columbus without the franchise receiving anything in return. Fantilli is four years away from UFA status, and a five-year contract would extend that timeline by just one season, offering the team only a thin buffer of control over one of its most important young assets.

Fantilli has shown steady growth since arriving in the NHL, posting 27 points in 49 games during his rookie campaign before jumping to 54 points in his second season and 59 points last year, which included a 31-goal outburst. While those numbers likely do not place him in the same salary tier as Bedard's $15 million annual average, they position him for a substantial payday nonetheless.

The broader context in Columbus adds another layer of uncertainty. Questions linger around the long-term futures of Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko with the organization. If either or both of those key players depart in the coming years, Fantilli's five-year deal could effectively serve as an exit strategy, allowing him to reassess his situation and test the open market should the Blue Jackets' competitive trajectory falter. On the flip side, if Columbus continues to build, Fantilli would be positioned to command an even larger contract in 2031 as a proven, prime-age forward.

With Bedard's deal now on the books and Carlsson's offer sheet matched, the framework for Fantilli's contract seems increasingly clear. The only questions that remain are the exact dollar figure and whether Columbus can find a way to add even one extra year of term to protect itself. Either way, the 2023 draft class is rewriting the playbook for young restricted free agents, and the reverberations will be felt across the league for years to come.