- The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today, as part of their larger training camp roster announcement, that two of the club’s free agent invites to its now-concluded rookie camp have been extended an invite to full training camp. One if the invites is of 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Nicholas Sima, who team reporter Jeff Svoboda referred to as a “standout” of the team’s prospect games. The other invite is of defender Marcus Kearsey, who captains the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders. While neither player is a real candidate to win an NHL job (they’d need to sign an entry-level contract in order to do so, anyway) these invites give each player the opportunity to further impress Blue Jackets brass.
Blue Jackets Rumors
Latest On Ivan Fedotov
- Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell spoke to the media today in advance of the club’s upcoming training camp, and provided some new details the franchise’s thinking related to their recent acquisition of netminder Ivan Fedotov from the Philadelphia Flyers. Per team reporter Jeff Svoboda, Waddell said “I don’t have nightmares too often, but every nightmare I had this summer was about goaltending (depth). I felt like we needed to address it.” It’s not unreasonable that Waddell would be concerned about the club’s goaltending depth – before the trade, the top goalie they had behind Elvis Merzlikins and Jet Greaves was Zachary Sawchenko, who has just seven career NHL games to his name and none since 2021-22. By adding Fedotov, the Blue Jackets get a player who was once one of the top goalies in the KHL, although he has admittedly struggled thusfar in his career in North America.
Denton Mateychuk, Four Others Injured To Start Blue Jackets Training Camp
The Columbus Blue Jackets have plans to ease top defense prospect Denton Mateychuk up to speed at the start of training camp as he recovers from a groin injury, per general manager Don Waddell in a recent conversation with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. Portzline added that forwards Jordan Dumais (lower-body) and Max McCue (undisclosed) will both be day-to-day with injury, forward Owen Sillinger (knee) will be held out of contact all camp, and defenseman Luca Marrelli (shoulder) will be out until December. All five players are listed on Columbus’ training camp roster.
This news will make Mateychuk worth that much more attention at this year’s camp. He was generally injury-free during his first pro season, which spanned 27 AHL games and 45 NHL games last season. Mateychuk posted four goals and 13 points in a Blue Jackets jersey, along with 25 points in the minor-leagues. It was an incredibly productive year for the 2022 12th-overall selection, and one that sets him up well to break into the NHL full-time this season. Mateychuk will boast clear top-four upside when he lands with the Blue Jackets, after averaging 18 minutes of ice time last season. He should be a strong option to play behind top defender Zach Werenski, and next to shutdown defender Ivan Provorov.
Columbus’ remaining injuries will help shape the minor-league roster to start the year. Sillinger held a prominent role in the AHL and seems near the top of Columbus’ call-up sheet entering the new year, though he’ll need to fully recover from a late-season injury before he can prove his NHL worthiness. Marrelli and Dumais have each signed their entry-level contracts, though only Marrelli will be eligible to return to the CHL. That will be his likeliest outcome, while Dumais will look to fully stride into the pro ranks after netting 11 points in 21 AHL games last season. Dumais should sit atop the AHL lineup next season, while McCue – another first-year pro who recorded eight points and 122 penalty minutes in 46 AHL games last season – will sit near the bottom of the lineup.
Blue Jackets Will Re-Invite A Few Rookies To Training Camp
The good times will keep on rolling for a select few prospects invited to the Columbus Blue Jackets’ rookie camp. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic relays that the team is planning to invite three to five non-roster, rookie camp invitees back to their training camp when it begins this week. The team’s hockey operations department will make decisions on who those few players will be on the bus ride home from the Buffalo Sabres’ Prospects Challenge.
Columbus’ rookie camp roster contained 10 invitees who weren’t previously drafted by the team. The list is led by high-impact collegiate prospects, including Wisconsin Badgers forward Rylan Mosley and Denver Pioneers defenseman Boston Buckberger. Mosley scored at a point-per-game pace through 37 games last season, while offering the prerequisite two-way, physical play required in a Mike Hastings lineup. Buckberger was equally as impactful for his squad, netting 30 points in 41 games while serving as the downhill punch behind the Pioneers’ star defenders. Both players could reasonably carve out low-grade, pro roles as soon as next season. Columbus also invited Michigan forward Joshua Eernisse, Michigan Tech forward Isaac Gordon, and Union forward Tom Richter, who achieved varying levels of college success last season.
The Blue Jackets also invited former scout’s favorite Pano Fimis, who went unselected through eligibility in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 drafts. Fimis was a focal point of the Erie Otters’ offense over the last two seasons, and managed encouraging results – including 32 goals and 86 points in 68 games this season. But he could never prove dynamic enough away from the puck to wow NHL scouts. His rookie camp showings couldn’t be categorized as disappointing, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Columbus gauge the 21-year-old’s AHL-readiness after scoring 253 points in 245 games and five seasons in the OHL. Fimis was the second-overall pick in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection Draft and is currently committed to attend the University of Notre Dame next season.
Latest On Jordan Dumais
- Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais took part in warmups before the team’s prospect tournament game in Buffalo today, but was ultimately held out of the lineup for the contest. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that Dumais’ absence relates to a “slight tweak” he felt in his lower-body, and that the club elected to hold him out of the game for entirely precautionary reasons. While his absence is entirely precautionary, this development is notable because persistent injury issues caused Dumais to miss a large chunk of time in each of the last two seasons. Dumais is not considered a likely contender for the Blue Jackets’ season-opening roster, but could position himself for a call-up opportunity down the line if he can remain healthy and put together a strong preaseason and training camp.
Update On Ivan Fedotov
The Philadelphia Flyers sent netminder Ivan Fedotov to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier today, and it was initially believed that the Blue Jackets had acquired Fedotov with the intention of providing additional veteran competition for their two incumbent NHL goalies: Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported today that the club did not, in fact, have that reasoning in mind. Per Portzline, the acquisition of Fedotov “should not be seen as a challenge to Greaves/Merzlikins,” and that Fedotov was acquired to support their AHL squad.
Portzline added the caveat saying “Plans can change, sure” but at this moment in time, the Blue Jackets plan on sending Fedotov to their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, when (or if) he clears waivers. At this point, assuming he does not have a brilliant training camp and preseason to upset one of Greaves/Merzlikins and take an NHL spot, it appears unlikely Fedotov would be claimed on waivers. The veteran netminder carries a hefty $3.725MM cap hit and has struggled to the tune of an .874 save percentage across his 29 career NHL games. So, with the dust settled from this morning’s deal, it appears the Blue Jackets have acquired the goalie they’ll pair with 27-year-old Zachary Sawchenko in Cleveland.
Flyers Trade Ivan Fedotov To Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets announced they’ve acquired goaltender Ivan Fedotov from the Flyers in exchange for their sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft. No salary is retained in the deal, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz.
Columbus will acquire Fedotov after his first NHL season came in well below expectations. The 28-year-old had a long road to NHL minutes – including a years-long contract saga that involved mandatory military service in Russia and IIHF sanctions imposed on him over conflicting contracts with Philadelphia and CSKA Moscow – but finally arrived in North America in April 2024. He made his first three NHL appearances for the Flyers before signing a two-year extension with a $3.275MM cap hit. That theoretically locked in their goaltending tandem with Samuel Ersson also in the picture through at least this upcoming season.
Yet Fedotov, a former KHL Goalie of the Year who was viewed as potentially one of the next wave of high-end Russian netminders, barely held onto an NHL job. The military service that caused him to miss the 2022-23 season entirely was a significant statistical turning point for the 6’7″, 214-lb goalie. He made 26 relief appearances last year, logging a .880 SV% and 3.15 GAA with a 6-13-4 record. His 33.3% quality start rate was quite subpar, especially considering he posted a save percentage below .850 in 10 of his 24 starts. With an expected GAA of 2.58, Fedotov also received the most manageable defensive workload of the Flyers’ three goalies, according to MoneyPuck.
Columbus was looking for an insurance option if starter Elvis Merzlikins’ struggles continue and youngster Jet Greaves’ first chance at a full-time NHL role doesn’t pan out. Fedotov is far from a sure thing either, but they’re betting on his overseas track record as evidence of a potential bounce-back. He boasts a .921 SV% and 2.22 GAA with 10 shutouts in 133 career KHL games and had a 2021-22 season for the record books. He led CSKA to a Gagarin Cup championship with a staggering .937 SV% and 1.85 GAA in 22 postseason games. He was named the league’s best netminder and a First Team All-Star.
The Jackets, who PuckPedia projects to have over $15.5MM in cap space, will have no problem taking on Fedotov’s full salary for a year before he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer. If he doesn’t make the team over Greaves and Merzlikins, his cap hit is high enough that he should clear waivers without issue and serve as a third-string option in AHL Cleveland. It’s worth noting that Greaves is no longer waiver-exempt. It’ll be an uphill battle for Fedotov to convince the Jackets to risk losing Greaves on waivers, so if he makes the team, it’ll likely mean a three-goalie rotation in Columbus.
Meanwhile, the Flyers clear up a bit of a logjam. With Fedotov in the picture, they had four goalies in the mix for NHL minutes. Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov were still under contract, and they also inked Daniel Vladar to a two-year, $6.7MM deal in free agency to challenge Ersson for the No. 1 job. In trading Fedotov, they clear out the worst-value contract of the four and, with Kolosov remaining waiver-exempt, could now return to a traditional two-goalie setup with only Ersson and Vladar on the opening night roster.
Despite carrying a cap hit above $3MM, Fedotov will only cost the Blue Jackets $775K in actual dollars. His base salary in 2025-26 was only the league minimum. His other compensation came via a $2.5MM signing bonus, which the Flyers have already paid.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was first to report that Columbus was acquiring Fedotov. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz was first to report the return.
Despite Reporting For Camp, Chinakhov's Trade Request Remains
While Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has already returned to Columbus in advance of training camp, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that his trade request hasn’t been rescinded. The 24-year-old started strong with 14 points in 21 games but then suffered a back injury that kept him out for several months while undergoing a treatment back in Russia that the team didn’t approve of. Then, upon returning, his ice time was more limited while also being a healthy scratch multiple times, resulting in just one assist in his final nine appearances. Chinakhov has one year left on his bridge contract worth $2.1MM and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team looking to make a change-of-scenery type of trade showing interest in Chinakhov in the coming weeks.
Metro Notes: Sillinger, Foerster, Flyers Rookies, Kolosov
Columbus Blue Jackets center prospect Owen Sillinger is expected to return from a February knee surgery early into the 2025-26 season, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. The Blue Jackets will hold him out of contact throughout the preseason to help ensure that target, general manager Don Waddell told Portzline.
Waddell’s wording suggests that Sillinger will begin ramping up his contact at practice beginning in the regular season. That timeline could make a return in the final week of October, or early November, a feasible target. He is almost certain to start the year on the AHL roster, after potting 11 goals and 29 points in a top-six role with the Cleveland Monsters last summer. That will be no slight to Sillinger though. He has served an important role on the Monsters throughout the last three seasons – and scored 11 goals in each year, despite fewer games every seasons. There will be a spot in the top-six held for Sillinger when he returns, and a hot return could quickly push him up Columbus’ call-up chart. If he gets moved to the NHL, he’ll regroup with younger brother Cole Sillinger, who has filled a role in the Blue Jackets’ top-nine for the last four seasons. Owen made his NHL debut last season, in a game that Cole sat out of due to injury.
Other notes from around the Metropolitan Division:
- Philadelphia Flyers forward Tyson Foerster is still on pace to be ready for the start of the season, president of hockey operations Keith Jones shared with Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. Foerster sustained an elbow injury that got infected and required surgery while playing for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship. He was the second-highest goal-scorer on the Flyers last season, with his 25 goals in 81 games falling one short of Matvei Michkov’s team-leading total. Foerster seems set to return to a top-six role throughout Philadelphia’s 2025-26 season. With this news, the Flyers can rest assured that he’s tracking to begin making that impact right out of the gates.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are confident that rookies Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey, and Jett Luchanko will be ready for the start of training camp despite summer injuries, per Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Spiegel points out that Luchanko faced a groin injury, Barkey faced a high ankle sprain, and Bonk faced bumps and bruises after a long 2024-25 season. All three players could have shots at making the 2025-26 roster. Luchanko made the Flyers out of training camp last season before returning to the OHL, while Barkey and Bonk went on runs to a Memorial Cup championship with the London Knights last season.
- During his press conference, “Jonesy” also shared that the Flyers are confident they’ll have goaltender Aleksei Kolosov at training camp this year, again captured by O’Connor. Kolosov spent the 2024-25 season split between the NHL and AHL rosters, after playing through his fourth and final season in the KHL in the year prior. Kolosov posted an .867 save percentage in 17 NHL games, and an .884 in 12 AHL games. He posted five wins in both leagues. It seems he’d be a reasonable bet to start the season as the AHL starter, though O’Connor points out that there’s no telling where his camp performance could land him. He’ll likely be competing with Samuel Ersson and Daniel Vladař for NHL minutes.
Adam Fantilli’s Camp Wants To Wait On Extension Talks With Blue Jackets
Last month, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said he planned to initiate extension talks with center Adam Fantilli’s camp as he enters the final season of his entry-level contract. However, he wasn’t successful in doing so. Waddell told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic that Fantilli’s camp is unwilling to sign a long-term deal before a pivotal third NHL season that could dramatically increase his market value when he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.
“We’ve had no negotiations at all,” Waddell told Portzline. “I spoke with (Fantilli’s agent Pat) Brisson last week, and they’re in no hurry from their end. It won’t get done before the season.”
As Portzline emphasizes, the lack of talks shouldn’t be misconstrued as concern over Fantilli’s long-term future in Columbus. In fact, it’s a completely understandable perspective from an incredibly high-ceiling talent who lost some precious development time, missing nearly half his rookie season due to a calf laceration, wanting to make sure he’s paid fairly on a long-term deal.
Of course, it’s also a bet on himself to keep up the momentum he created last season. The 2023 third-overall pick played all 82 games and really began to shine in the back half of the season, clicking at nearly a point-per-game pace after a comparatively slower start to the campaign. All in all, he tallied 31 goals in what was his first fully healthy professional season, tying with Kirill Marchenko for the team lead. He added 23 assists for 54 points to rank fifth on the team in scoring. He didn’t look out of place when trialed in top-line minutes when No. 1 pivot Sean Monahan was out of the lineup for a lengthy stretch later in the year due to a wrist injury, either.
If he signed an extension this offseason, that likely would have commanded a cap hit around $9.5MM on a seven-year pact with the cap projected to jump to at least $104MM for 2026-27, AFP Analytics projects. But if Fantilli can build on his 70-point pace over Columbus’ latter 41 games last year, there’s a strong case for him to dip into the eight-figure range annually and surpass Zach Werenski’s $9.583MM cap hit as the Jackets’ highest-paid player.
It’s a high-risk, high-reward move from Fantilli’s camp. A long-term offer presumably won’t be on the table if he plateaus this year, resulting in negotiations shifting to a bridge deal and some lost earnings compared to whatever long-term offer is on the table now, at least in the short term.
Whenever extension talks do commence in earnest, cap space won’t be much of a limiting factor. The club has $46.155MM to spend under the projected $104MM limit for 2026-27 with 14 roster spots filled. Their most expensive expiring talent, veterans Charlie Coyle ($5.125MM) and defenseman Erik Gudbranson ($4MM), will almost certainly get pay cuts if they’re re-signed.