The Blue Jackets have only one unsigned free agent left after getting Jet Greaves and Cole Sillinger back under contract earlier this week, and that’s center Adam Fantilli. A deal doesn’t appear to be imminent, though.
Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that talks are on hold for the moment while Fantilli is on vacation, with negotiations set to pick back up next week. Portzline also noted there had been some progress before the pause.
Fantilli, 21, put together a strong season with 24 goals and 35 assists in 81 games, setting career bests in assists and points. Columbus still has just under $14.5MM in cap room, according to PuckPedia, which should be enough to get the contract done in the coming days or weeks.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan, Flyers prospect KJ Sauer is headed to the NCAA at some point, though not right away. Sauer announced on Instagram that he has committed to the University of Minnesota, but the expectation is that the commitment is for the 2027-28 season.
That would leave the 18-year-old on track to play with WHL Edmonton this coming year, just as originally planned. Philadelphia selected Sauer in the fifth round last month.
He spent most of last season at the high school level in Minnesota and also appeared in a handful of USHL games.
The Islanders also made a move to add depth for their new farm club in Hamilton, with the Hammers announcing a one-year deal for defenseman Brandon Scanlin. The 27-year-old spent the previous five seasons in the Rangers organization and was mostly stationed with Hartford.
Scanlin recorded 11 points in 49 games for the Wolf Pack last season, giving him 57 points in 255 career AHL games. He has one NHL game on his resume, which came in the 2023-24 season.
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That approach already has shown up in the way the Flyers have chased elite talent, from an offer sheet for Leo Carlsson that Anaheim matched to their willingness to be in the mix for Kirill Kaprizov this summer. It is the kind of posture that keeps a team relevant in the rare moments when a true franchise-altering player might actually reach the market, and it is why the idea of Philadelphia being ready for the next great opening feels less far-fetched than it used to. [Read more 🡒]