Adam Fantilli and Gavin Brindley sat in Buffalo in June and wondered what the future might bring.
The two University of Michigan standouts were at the NHL Scouting Combine meeting with teams, who would soon hold each of their bright futures in their hands. Fantilli had just won the Hobey Baker Award, becoming just the third freshman ever to be named the best player in college hockey, while Brindley had turned in an impressive, nearly point-per-game season in his first year with the Wolverines.
Fantilli was widely expected to go in the top five, if not second overall, while Brindley was projected as being right on the border between the first and second rounds. As the two great friends chatted in Buffalo, their minds began to wonder what might happen.
A few weeks later in Nashville, they had their answer. Fantilli was chosen third overall by the Blue Jackets, and one day later, Brindley was tabbed by Columbus with the second pick of the second round (No. 34 overall).
“I was very fortunate to have someone like Adam to go through it with,” Brindley told Dylan Tyrer on the latest episode of the Pipeline Podcast presented by Ruoff Mortgage. “It was really cool. Obviously before the Combine, we were sitting in the hotel doing all of our meetings and stuff, and we were like, ‘What are the chances we get drafted to the same team? Like, that would be crazy.’ Sure enough, we’re both drafted by Columbus. It’s pretty nuts.”
From there, their paths have diverged a bit. Fantilli is now in the NHL and looks like he belongs, scoring his first career goal Saturday in Minnesota and generally looking like a franchise cornerstone for the Blue Jackets.
Brindley, meanwhile, remains at Michigan, where he is again putting up numbers for the Wolverines. Coming off a 12-26-38 line last year in 41 games, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound winger has four goals and three assists for seven points in the first six games. That includes scoring in both games this past weekend as Michigan earned a win and a tie against rival Ohio State.
With natural skill, tremendous energy and a will to win, Brindley figures to be an NHL player one day in the not-too-distant future. But that doesn’t mean he’s taking anything for granted while competing for an NCAA title at one of the top hockey schools in the country.
“My dream is still to play in the NHL, and I haven’t accomplished that goal yet, so until I do I’m going to do everything I can to get there,” Brindley said. “I’m 19 years old. You’re almost there, but you’re not really there, so keep going, keep getting better, round out your game, be the best person you can and it’ll come to you.”
While Brindley is currently playing at one of college hockey’s blue bloods, as the Wolverines are ranked sixth in the nation and are coming off consecutive Frozen Four appearances, he took a little bit of a path less traveled to Ann Arbor.
Brindley’s father, Ryan, grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and played collegiately at Miami (Ohio) and then had a pro career that finished with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. He settled in Florida, where Gavin quickly fell in love with the game thanks to his father, and while there is a growing number of high-level players from the Sunshine State, it’s still not the easiest place to get noticed.
“Being from Florida, it’s a little different,” he said. “Not too many guys have come out of there, but I hope to make a good impression for all the kids back there and show them you can grow up anywhere and play hockey anywhere. It’s been really cool growing up there and being able to do that I've done so far. Hopefully it keeps going.”
To hear more about Brindley, including his cooking skills, what he likes to do away from the ice, and his path to Michigan, be sure to listen to the entire episode of the Pipeline Podcast.
