In many other seasons, Adam Fantilli would be a no doubt choice at number one overall. He has the size (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) and skill (he won the Hobey Baker Award as a freshman) NHL teams crave, and the fact he plays centre elevates his value even further.
But, in a year with Bedard at the top, someone else will benefit by Fantilli's availability. He did it all this season: Fantilli was the highest scorer at the NCAA level, won gold for Canada at the WJC, and again at the senior men's event at the end of the year.
For more on the player, we turn to Sam Cosentino and Jason Bukala...
Sam Cosentino on the player: The University of Michigan product completed one of the best individual seasons the sport has ever seen for an amateur player. Fantilli became the only player to win a Hobey Baker Award, a WJC gold and a men’s world gold in the same year.
He is just the third freshman to win the Hobey Baker, following in the footsteps of Jack Eichel (Boston U, 2015) and Paul Kariya (U of Maine, 1993). Fantilli's stat line over 36 games left him with an average of 1.81 points per game. All this as the third-youngest player in NCAA hockey next to other draft eligibles Matthew Wood (UConn) and Charlie Stramel (Wisconsin).
Fantilli began his historic rise to the top of draft charts playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey League U16 loop with the Toronto Red Wings. As an underaged player, Fantilli competed with a number of NHL drafted prospects, such as Luca Del Bel Belluz (Columbus), Francesco Pinelli (LA Kings) Justin Ertel (Dallas) and Chandler Romeo (Ottawa). His Red Wings team fell to the Shane Wright-led Don Mills Flyers 6-5 in overtime in one of the most thrilling OHL Cup finals on record.
Committing to Michigan and the NCAA route, Fantilli took his act to the Chicago Steel of the USHL where he joined his brother Luca to further his development. He capped a phenomenal rookie season of 18 goals and 18 assists in 49 games with a Clark Cup title, where he was named MVP after an eight-goal, nine-point playoff performance. While his second season in Chicago didn’t produce a title, he did finish seventh in league scoring with 37 goals and 74 points.
At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, the left shot centre had to adjust to a new role for Canada at the world juniors, where he played lower in the lineup and spent most of his time on the wing. During Canada’s run to the gold, Fantilli played a more physical brand, using his speed to take defenders wide or to be first on pucks on the forecheck. He still produced five points in seven games while averaging just 11:31 of ice time.
A franchise-changing type of centre, Fantilli has the rare blend of size, speed, and skill with just the right amount of physicality mixed-in.
Jason Bukala's scouting report: A play driver who his both quick and fast. He has fantastic jump to small areas and can lead the rush through the neutral zone with high end speed. His pace makes him hard to defend and backs opponents off of their blue line.
Can be deployed in all situations. Brings combination of skill, speed, physicality, and finesse. A centre with top line NHL upside.
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