The Blue Jackets may have to pay a huge price to keep Adam Fantilli and it could completely shake up the NHL

Leo Carlsson's offer sheet threw the NHL contract market into chaos, but the Canadiens came out of it in an excellent position with Ivan Demidov.

Let's be honest, seeing the Philadelphia Flyers offer the Ducks forward $18 million per year completely changed the game. Anaheim matched the offer, triggering a massive spending spree.

Several young talents jumped at the opportunity to demand much more money than expected. Yegor Chinakhov's $6.25 million deal and Simon Nemec's $7.25 million contract immediately come to mind.

The trend is showing no signs of slowing down, with Trevor Zegras now commanding $9.125 million following that landmark signing. Salaries are skyrocketing at a staggering pace across the NHL.

It's clear that the biggest names are cashing in even more thanks to the inflation created by Carlsson's camp. Connor Bedard is now earning $15 million, while Macklin Celebrini's salary has climbed to $18.8 million.

Columbus could be forced to give Adam Fantilli a monster contract

Adam Fantilli is expected to sign a five-year deal worth between $13 million and $13.5 million per season with Columbus by September. That is an enormous amount of money for a young player who recorded 59 points last season.

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At the Bell Centre, everyone can breathe a little easier when looking at the front office's financial management. Currently, nobody earns more than the $9.5 million salary given to defenseman Noah Dobson.

Ivan Demidov's contract looks even more impressive when compared to the current market. Our star prospect collected 62 points in his rookie season, more than Fantilli.

The forward will earn just $9.15 million per year over the next eight seasons. Nearly $4 million separates our rookie's contract from the projected deal for the Blue Jackets forward.

Make no mistake, that major financial difference gives the Canadiens a massive advantage when it comes to building a winning team. Fans can already celebrate the work being done by the front office.

While other teams are suffocating under the salary cap, Montreal is maintaining invaluable flexibility for the years ahead. That kind of discipline will undoubtedly pay major dividends as the team continues its offensive resurgence on the ice.

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