COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets will begin training camp Thursday facing a compressed preseason, an unresolved contract negotiation with one of their top young forwards and renewed pressure to end the franchise’s playoff drought. Rick Bowness is entering his first full season as Columbus’ head coach after taking over in January. The Blue Jackets have only four exhibition games before the regular season begins Oct. 1, while the NHL schedule has expanded from 82 to 84 games. The shortened preparation period will force difficult roster decisions, Bowness said during the team’s media day. “There’s gonna be players leaving this camp saying ‘I didn’t get a fair chance,’ and they’re right,” Bowness said. “We can’t give everyone a fair chance because of this shortened camp and because there’s only four games. Our jobs as coaches is to get this team ready for Oct. 1.” ### Fantilli talks continue Adam Fantilli could miss the start of the preseason while the Blue Jackets and his representatives continue negotiating a long-term contract. General manager Don Waddell said the team wanted to begin discussions last season, but Fantilli’s agent preferred to wait until after the 2025-26 campaign. Waddell said the sides exchanged multiple proposals during the summer and were still communicating as recently as the weekend before media day. “Off and on this summer, we had a lot of dialogue, exchanged a lot of proposals,” Waddell said. “As of Friday and Saturday, we were still talking. When you’re talking, you’ll eventually find a deal.” Fantilli, the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, appeared in all 82 games last season. He scored 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points, finishing third on the team in scoring. Waddell said Fantilli was among the players most affected by Columbus falling short of the playoffs and expressed confidence that the sides would eventually reach an agreement. “I know how much he cares about this franchise,” Waddell said. “I’m still confident that we’ll find a resolution to this in the near future.” ### Bowness demands a culture shift Bowness made pointed comments about the Blue Jackets’ locker-room culture after last season ended, promising changes if he returned. With a full offseason to set expectations, he said the team should show progress immediately. “I think we’re going to see a difference right away,” Bowness said. “Is the culture as bad as I made it sound? No. But was it where it needs to be? And the answer to that was no. We spent a lot of time over the summer talking to the players. They know the expectations now.” Columbus finished last season with eight losses in its final 10 games. The slide dropped the team from second place in the Metropolitan Division and eliminated its playoff hopes before the final game. Bowness said that disappointment must remain a source of motivation rather than fade during the offseason. “The players were as disappointed as all of us were,” he said. “It hurt. That has to resonate with them and honestly, it had to stay with them all summer. It had to be the motivation all summer.” ### Werenski returns after landmark year Defenseman Zach Werenski enters the season after winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman and earning an Olympic gold medal. His offseason also included trade speculation, followed by a public commitment to remain with Columbus. Werenski, 29, said the most meaningful change in his life came in May, when he and his wife, Odette, welcomed their first child, Hudson. The new family responsibilities have changed how Werenski separates hockey from home life, he said. He remains focused while at the rink but looks forward to bringing his son to games and practices. “I feel like when I’m at the rink, I’m focused on that but the second I get home, it’s all about my son,” Werenski said. “I have just enjoyed the last four and a half months with him. I really look forward to this season having him at games and practices.” For Columbus, the immediate challenge is turning offseason commitments into results. The Blue Jackets will have little exhibition time to establish their roster and identity before beginning another season with postseason expectations.