Contract talks around Adam Fantilli are still alive, but they’re not done yet.
Aaron Portzline reported that he was hoping there had been more conversation yesterday between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Fantilli’s agent, Pat Brisson. Brisson told The Athletic, “We recognize the value/importance of trying to get a player to (training camp).
We want to keep negotiations confidential. We’re trying to find the right contract for Adam, recognizing his appreciation and importance to #CBJ.”
Pierre LeBrun added that there were more talks between the sides yesterday and that some progress has been made, though the deal is still not there.
Columbus has another situation worth watching on the blue line, too. Portzline said that as of Tuesday night, the Blue Jackets had not had any contract talks with Carson Soucy’s agents.
Soucy is in camp on a PTO, and the timing matters after defenseman Dante Fabbro was injured on Monday night. Damon Severson, meanwhile, is not close to returning.
In New York, the Rangers let the September 15 CBA deadline pass without extending Gabriel Perreault, and they weren’t alone in leaving a couple of other RFAs unsigned before the window closed. Peter Baugh and Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reported that the Rangers did not make a hard push to get a deal done, according to two sources.
Chris Drury declined to get into the specifics, saying only that the team is happy with where its roster and salary cap sit. Perreault won’t be arbitration-eligible next offseason, and the Rangers want more time to evaluate the 21-year-old after he’s played just 54 NHL games. He had 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 games last season, including 19 points over his final 23 games.
Perreault has opened camp skating with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere, a spot that could help his production and strengthen his case for a future contract.
The Rangers also have some broader roster questions to sort through. The club has a history of leaning toward bridge deals for players coming out of their entry-level contracts, and Will Cuylle and Noah Laba are both set to become RFAs after the season.
Goaltending is another wrinkle. If the Rangers place 24-year-old Dylan Garand on waivers, they could lose him. New York traded for Joonas Korpisalo this offseason, with Igor Shesterkin clearly set as the starter, and Mike Sullivan said the team will consider carrying three goalies, even if that’s not the cleanest solution.
In Other News...
Rangers Gave Fans Real Reason To Feel Good Before Bruins Opener
A strong night against the Islanders gave the Rangers a little preseason momentum as they headed toward the Boston Bruins and the start of games that count. New York jumped early and kept pouring it on in a 6-1 win, with Oliver Bjorkstrand, J.T. Miller, Tye Kartye, Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad all getting on the scoresheet while Adam Fox set the tone with three assists.
For a team trying to build some early confidence, it was the kind of performance that checked a lot of boxes without asking the staff to read too much into the result. The Rangers have now strung together two straight preseason wins, and after the offensive showing on Long Island, they have at least given their fans a reason to feel better about where things stand before the opener in Boston. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Still Have One Roster Decision Hanging Before Opening Night
The preseason ended on a high note for the Rangers, who rolled past the Islanders 6-1 with a lineup that looked awfully close to what they expect to roll out on opening night. Even with the win serving as a tidy finishing touch, the final roster remains unfinished, with two spots still open as the club heads into the last stretch before the regular season begins.
What makes the wait interesting is the shape of the roster itself. New York has already trimmed its camp group and is still staring at a shortage of clear center options, which has fueled the idea that the answer could come from outside the organization. The waiver wire is part of the conversation now, and the next move may say as much about the teams depth concerns as the preseason finale did about its top-end readiness. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face One Season-Defining Question Heading Into 2026-27
The Rangers head toward 2026-27 with a much cleaner-looking backbone than they have had in recent seasons. Between Adam Fox, Vlad Gavrikov and Igor Shesterkin, the club has the kind of defensive and goaltending structure that can keep games manageable, and that is usually the starting point for any team trying to steady itself in the East.
Still, the real question is whether the rest of the roster can do enough to turn that stability into wins. New Yorks season could swing quickly depending on health and the growth of its younger forwards, with the gap between a playoff berth and a frustrating year likely resting on whether the offense finds enough consistency to support the pieces already in place. [Read more 🡒]