Restricted free-agent center Adam Fantilli did not show up for the opening day of Columbus Blue Jackets training camp on Wednesday as he remains locked in a contract dispute with the club.
The 21-year-old is penciled in as the No. 1 center for the Blue Jackets.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Fantilli and the team remain far apart, The Athletic reported.
Other prominent free agents, including Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier of the Anaheim Ducks, and Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks, have signed contract extensions this offseason.
The most recent to sign was Gauthier, who agreed to a six-year extension with an average annual value of $13.5 million, the Ducks announced late Tuesday.
According to The Athletic, agent Pat Brisson has said Fantilli will not take part in camp without a deal.
The first practice on the ice is scheduled for Thursday morning. The Blue Jackets open the season in just two weeks — Oct. 1 at home against the Buffalo Sabres.
“It’s not an ideal situation for the player or the team,” Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness told The Athletic. “But you coach the guys who are here. The guys who are here, you get them ready to go.”
The 6-foot-2 Fantilli has appeared in 213 games since the 2023-24 season, including all 82 in each of the past two seasons. He has 140 points (67 goals, 73 assists) in his career.
