Adam Fantilli is ready to sign, according to Pierre LeBrun, and the gap with the Blue Jackets is about years rather than dollars.
My sense of the situation is Adam Fantilli's ready to sign, LeBrun said on Melnick in the Afternoon.
I think he'd rather do 4 years, maybe 5 years. And the Blue Jackets at the beginning were hoping for 7, and then 6.
That reshapes the entire standoff. Nobody is arguing about whether he's worth paying.
A short deal walks him toward free agency faster and at a bigger number. A long one locks Columbus in at today's price.
Chris Johnston had the club in the 12 million dollar range on their side of those talks.
He's still on a $950,000 cap hit and still hasn't set foot in camp.
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Blue Jackets and Adam Fantilli closing in as contract dispute comes down to term
That's movement, and it came from the club's side. LeBrun's framing has them starting at seven and sliding toward six.
Two years still separates them. On a contract that size, two years is the entire negotiation.
Elliotte Friedman reported Pat Brisson set a target early and hasn't budged from it. He called it a Carlsson era target.
Leo Carlsson put up 67 points in 70 games at the same age. That's the comparable doing all the arguing.
Fantilli managed 59 points across all 82 games last season and finished at a -13.
Kirill Marchenko is also non-committal about his own future in Columbus. Johnston doesn't see that one resolving quickly either.
The Blue Jackets beat Detroit 1-0 in a shootout Monday without either player dressed.
They lost 5-1 in Buffalo on Tuesday and host Pittsburgh tonight.
Rick Bowness opens a season with both of those files still sitting open on somebody else's desk.
The regular season starts October 1 against Buffalo at home.
Every day without a signature makes the term argument harder, not easier.
So who gives ground first? Arguing over years instead of money works like haggling on a lease rather than the rent. Both sides already agree what the place is worth.
Waddell has moved once. Whether he moves again before October 1 is the only part of this anybody still has to find out.
Should Don Waddell accept a four year deal for Adam Fantilli?
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