Fantilli has been 'on a mission' heading into 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at center Adam Fantilli with the University of Michigan in the Big Ten. Full draft coverage can be found here.

Adam Fantilli had a college hockey season for the ages and did everything possible as a freshman at the University of Michigan to remain in the conversation as a top-two pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

That's quite a statement considering for the better part of two seasons the unanimous choice as the No. 1 pick has been generational superstar Connor Bedard of Regina in the Western Hockey League, and Fantilli knows it.

"What Bedard did in the WHL was crazy," Fantilli said. "I mean, he scored 70 goals, which is pretty phenomenal. But ever since I was a kid, my goal has been to try and be the highest pick in the NHL draft and I think I've done the best I can to work and try to be the best version of the player I wanted to be by draft day.

"It'll all come down to what teams need and what teams want on their rosters so obviously it's not up to me. I think I've worked my hardest and I've tried to be the best player I can be, so it's out of my hands at this point."

Fantilli, quite frankly, had a season to remember not only at Michigan but on the international stage representing Canada. His older brother, Luca Fantilli, had a front-row seat to the whole thing, too, as a defenseman for Michigan.

"It's truly special just to see all the work he's put in and how dedicated he is to the game, his diet and his recovery and his workouts," said Luca, who is 22 months older. "Everything he does, he does with a purpose and wants to be ready to accomplish his goals. He gives everything he has to the game and to me the game was just giving it right back to him this year. It was truly special, and I'm just super proud of him."

Fantilli (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) won the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's player in NCAA ice hockey this season, won a gold medal with Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and another gold at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. The 18-year-old, No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, led NCAA players with 65 points and was tied for first with 30 goals in 36 games.

"Everybody kept questioning, 'OK, can he play his game at the next level,' and we learned teams had to adjust to him," NHL Central Scouting director David Gregory said. "He's the guy that was dictating how Michigan was going to play their game and how everyone else had to play against them, so he's a really special player. He's not going to last beyond the third pick, and the team getting him is getting a great player."

In addition to the Hobey Baker Award, Fantilli's list of accomplishments as a first-year collegian included the Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year, first-team All-America, Big 10 Tournament MVP, Big 10 Freshman of the Year, College Hockey News and USCHO Player of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, Big 10 All-Rookie Team and NCAA All-Regional Team honors.

"I can't recall a player that's come into the NCAA this focused and performed to the degree he has, making it to the NCAA Frozen Four, winning the Big 10 championship, the Hobey Baker Award and was that focused," said Dan Marr, vice president of NHL Central Scouting. "It's like he was on a mission this season. It was just so impressive, and he deserves to be where he's ranked and deserves to go as high in the draft as he can.

"You don't see players come along and put up that type of season very often."

Fantilli teamed with Bedard for Canada at the 2023 WJC, finishing with five points (two goals, three assists)) in seven games in January. He had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games for Canada at the 2023 World Championship in May.

"Adam's a great player ... he's so fast and so dynamic and, obviously, someone who kind of pops out just with his speed and size," Bedard said. "I mean, what he did in college was kind of unheard of, so that's good to see. We're really close. It's funny, I think at the start of the World Juniors, we were joking around about it that we had interviews about each other and we're like, 'We're on the same team, we're friends.' We were cheering for each other, and I think that's the mentality we had. I've gotten to spend time with him and we've gotten closer ... he's a lot of fun to be around."

How is Fantilli different than Bedard?

"I wouldn't say we play similarly, by any means," Fantilli said. "I have different strengths and he has different strengths in his game and we both try and utilize them the best we can. We're pretty different in terms of the way we play but I will say that playing with him in certain situations, he does have a really competitive mindset and that's something I think we share ... we're both competitive and really want to be the best."

Adam and Luca Fantilli were born in Toronto, but the family moved to the suburb of Nobleton, Ontario, not long after. It was then Giuliano Fantilli, their father, had Adam on skates two weeks after his second birthday. He played other sports, including lacrosse and snowboarding, but not to the degree of hockey.

"It was an amazing season watching him and his brother play together," Giuliano said. "Me and my wife being able to go down to Michigan every weekend and watch them play was a dream come true. Then, World Juniors, Hobey Baker and the World Championship ... it's just surreal. We just enjoyed it. I really like what Adam says with 'Being where your boots are' so we've all tried to do the same thing. Soak it in and enjoy it the best we can."

The Fantilli brothers have been teammates the past four seasons beginning at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire in 2019-20. They played two seasons with Chicago of the United States Hockey League (2020-22) before joining the Wolverines this season.

"Adam is a player that got better at the thing he needed to get better at every year, and it reminds me of some of the great pros like Sidney Crosby," Gregory said. "I remember someone saying Sid didn't win a lot of faceoffs and, the next year, he's the best faceoff player. Adam is one of these competitive players who has all the tools to improve in every area he needs to get better.

"He could easily be the No. 1 overall pick in any other year and a different draft, no question about it."

Adam was named First Team All-USHL after finishing third in the league with 37 goals in 54 games in 2021-22. As a rookie in 2020-21, he helped Chicago win the Clark Cup championship after scoring nine points (eight goals, one assist) in eight playoff games.

"The USHL is a very defensive league, very low scoring, so it was tough to put up points, create," Fantilli said. "So, you learn how to penetrate traps, you learn how to use your teammates as much as you can."

Adam narrowed his college choices down to Michigan and North Dakota, opting for the former.

Fantilli became the third freshman in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker Award, joining Jack Eichel (2015) and Paul Kariya (1993). He is the first player to win the Hobey and a gold medal at the WJC and World Championship in the same year.

"It's weird because college hockey is a lot more physical and a lot faster, but he put on weight and muscle and, for how young he is, his speed and his physicality really surprised me," Luca Fantilli said. "He hopped right in and was one of the fastest guys in college and I think that really surprised me the most."

Luke Hughes was a sophomore at Michigan this season and was glad he got the opportunity to play with Fantilli before signing his entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils on April 8. He said if Bedard is the undisputed top pick, then Fantilli is the obvious No. 2 choice.

"Something people don't know about Adam is how much he led this team as a young guy," Hughes said. "We had some older leaders that led in different ways, but Adam really led with his play and competitiveness, and I don't think people really realize how big of a leader and how people looked up to him and his game. I think my favorite part about him is his competitiveness, his drive, and his will to win. He's not afraid to mix it up. He can hit, he can fight. He's a power forward with some skill and obviously he's got a really good scoring touch.

"He was huge for us this year, and he should definitely go No. 2, if not No. 1."

Does Luca feel his younger brother is ready for the NHL?

"I think he's kind of ready for anything, to be honest," he said. "I'm returning to Michigan, so I'd love to have him back another year and it'd definitely help our team out. But I think he is ready to step into the NHL and do good things. I'm just really excited to see what he decides and I'm going to support him either way."

Adam said he'll decide after the draft if he'll return to Michigan in 2023-24.

"I'll wait until after the draft before making a decision," he said. "Obviously, losing in the semifinal round against Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four left a bitter taste in my mouth because I wanted to win that game and the game after that to win the national championship. I think my decision on whether I'll return to Michigan has nothing to do with unfinished business. It's more about development and being able to mature as a person."

Photo credits: Michigan photography

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