The Blue Jackets have put themselves in a tricky spot after re-signing Adam Fantilli earlier this week, but GM Don Waddell says the club doesn’t expect to lean on LTIR to get back under the cap.
Fantilli’s new six-year deal, worth $13.75MM per season, pushed Columbus over the salary cap. That kind of overage is usually the sort of thing teams clean up with LTIR placements, but Waddell told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that he doesn’t believe the Blue Jackets will need to go that route when it comes time to submit their season-opening roster. Whether that means Columbus will ice a smaller opening roster or has moves in the works to trim payroll is still unclear, and it’s something to watch ahead of Monday’s roster deadline.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division, Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves is dealing with a lower-body injury, the team announced. He’s scheduled for further evaluation to determine how serious it is.
Graves has had a rough go since arriving in Pittsburgh in 2023 and has gone through waivers multiple times. He was probably headed for the waiver wire again in the next couple of days, but the injury has put that on hold for now.
Last season, Graves managed just one point, a goal, in 22 games with Pittsburgh, and his $4.5MM cap hit runs through 2028-29.
In Philadelphia, goaltender Daniel Vladar was back on the ice taking shots as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury, according to Siobhan Nolan of The Hockey News. Vladar was hurt earlier this week in a preseason game, but head coach Rick Tocchet sounded cautiously optimistic that he could be ready for Wednesday’s opener. Vladar was a major piece of Philadelphia’s success last season, finishing with a 2.42 GAA and a .906 SV% in 52 appearances.
The Capitals made a batch of roster moves, recalling forwards Tyler Kopff, Petr Sikora, and Alexander Suzdalev along with defenseman Jon McDonald from AHL Hershey. All four were recently cut, but they’ll get one more preseason game to make their case. Washington also announced that veteran defenseman Justin Holl will go on waivers later today, a move that strongly suggests Dylan McIlrath has locked down the number seven spot to open the season.
In Other News...
Kirill Marchenko Suddenly Looks Like A Blue Jackets Core Decision
The Blue Jackets locked in Adam Fantilli on a six-year deal worth $13.75 million per season, a move that sharpened the focus on the rest of the young core in Columbus. With Fantilli secured, Kirill Marchenkos situation has become one of the more important decisions on the roster, especially with the winger in the final year of his contract and set to become a restricted free agent after this season.
Marchenko has drawn plenty of attention around the league, and his standing with the organization is being weighed against both contract demands and broader team culture considerations. Trade talks have reportedly been ongoing, but nothing has been finalized yet, and the Blue Jackets are in a spot where any deal would have to make immediate sense for a club still trying to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Face A Price Question On Potential Top Six Scoring Upgrade
Kirill Marchenkos name is suddenly in the middle of a bigger conversation than just one players future in Columbus. The winger has already shown he can score at both the NHL and AHL levels, and with reports surfacing that he does not plan to re-sign with the Blue Jackets when his contract ends, the club is at least having to listen as teams circle for a potential top-six upgrade.
What makes the situation especially interesting is the price point, because the talks are not just about Marchenkos talent but about how much a contender would be willing to give up to get him. Boston is among the teams involved, and the Bruins pursuit has only added to the sense that this could turn into a wider discussion about prospects, draft capital and whether Columbus can turn an uncertain contract situation into the kind of return that reshapes its next move. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Roster Squeeze Just Put One Veteran In Serious Doubt
The Blue Jackets roster math got a little tighter this week, and Miles Wood is the veteran feeling it most. Columbus placed the forward on waivers ahead of the roster deadline, a move that signals the team is still sorting out how to fit everyone after the signing of Adam Fantilli and the latest round of lineup decisions.
If Wood clears, the path opens for the Blue Jackets to send him to the Cleveland Monsters, but the broader picture is what makes this situation more delicate. Salary-cap pressure is part of the equation, and Columbus may need additional flexibility if it wants to keep working through other possible moves while also navigating some early injuries, leaving Woods status squarely in doubt for now. [Read more 🡒]