Fantilli could return to Michigan for sophomore season

The 2023 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas is taking place this week at KeyBank Center and LECOM HarborCenter in Buffalo. The combine will allow NHL teams the opportunity to conduct interviews and provide physical and medical assessments of the top prospects eligible for the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft. NHL.com will bring you all the sights and sounds from the event.

BUFFALO -- Adam Fantilli, who is projected to be the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, said he hasn't decided if he will play in the NHL next season or return for his sophomore season at the University of Michigan.

"I think I'll make that decision when it comes and whatever the [NHL] team says and whatever my close circle around me says," Fantilli said on Wednesday. "I'll take their advice and make a decision at the end of the day, but we haven't really gotten there yet."

Fantilli (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) won the Hobey Baker Award voted as the best men's player in NCAA ice hockey as a freshman last season after he led all players with 65 points and tied for first with 30 goals.

He's No. 2 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel.

"I feel like I really can't really go wrong," Fantilli said. "Michigan is an amazing place, and obviously, the NHL is where you want to be, it's where you grew up wanting to play your entire life. So, it's a big decision. There's pros to both sides."

It's been a whirlwind of a month for Fantilli, who had three points (one goal, two assists) in 10 games to help Canada win the gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship in Finland in May. He then traveled to Las Vegas for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers on Monday before arriving at the combine here on Tuesday night. Today, he began interviewing with teams, including the Anaheim Ducks, who have the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Because he had been overseas prior to when the World Championship began on May 12, Fantilli said he won't take part in the fitness testing portion of the combine.

"I didn't really have enough time to prepare, being overseas there," he said. "But just being here, it's been great, meeting a lot of guys, meeting all the prospects. It's been amazing."

RELATED: [More 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft coverage]

Brindley and Fowler's friendship

Michigan forward Gavin Brindley and goalie Jacob Fowler of Youngstown of the United States Hockey League grew up playing youth hockey together in the Florida Alliance program on teams coached by Gavin's father, Ryan Brindley.

"He's like a second brother to me," Fowler said of Brindley. "Got to live with him a bunch during some of the summers and spend a lot of time with him and his family."

Not to say there haven't been a few bumps along the way.

There were the goalie pads Fowler snuck to Brindley's younger brother, Cole, who is now 14.

"Fowler actually was the one who got [Cole] into playing goalie," Brindley said. "My dad was like, 'No way you're playing goalie.' And then Fowler came over to my house one weekend ... and he was like, 'Hey, I'm going to bring Cole my old gear. You can't tell your dad.' So he brought his old gear down and Cole went out for a stick and puck and he's played goalie ever since."

There was also the golf cart incident.

"I was driving a golf cart with a couple of Gavin's siblings and it was going down the hill and we ended up in a bush," Fowler said. "Everybody was all good. My feelings got hurt for a while. Definitely was a crazy story. This was like three or four years ago, so I didn't even know how to drive, and that was the biggest issue."

Despite those moments, the families remain close. Fowler said he and Brindley are enjoying their time together at the combine, and they will also take part in their usual offseason workouts in Florida before Brindley returns to Michigan for his sophomore season and Fowler heads to Boston College for his freshman season.

"It's awesome," Fowler said. "He's been at school obviously this year, haven't seen him in a bit, so it's nice to reconnect with him and just hang out with him again."

Leonard still feeling golden

Ryan Leonard said scoring the overtime goal for the United States against Sweden in the gold-medal game of the 2023 IIHF Under-18 World Championship on April 30 is just now starting to feel like a reality.

"Not really worn off, it's kind of more sinking in now," he said. "It's kind of become more realistic that it actually happened. I get up every day and see the gold medal in my room, it's just kind of special."

After the United States rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the third period, Leonard won it at 2:20 of overtime when he skated down the left wing, cut through the high slot and scored with a shot that trickled past Sweden goalie Noah Erliden.

"It's pretty much a blur," Leonard said. "The puck went in and everybody started jumping around on the glass and that was about it."

The goal was the 18-year-old forward's eighth of the tournament, which was tied for third behind Cole Eiserman and Will Smith (nine each), who play with Leonard for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team.

Leonard (6-foot, 192), who was third on the NTDP U-18 team with 94 points (51 goals, 43 assists) in 57 games last season, is No. 5 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.

"He kind of models himself after a Matthew Tkachuk-type game," Central Scouting vice president Dan Marr said. "But he does bring that mix of skill and brawn or physicality. He's more of a complete package if you're looking for someone that has a little bit of everything going into it because he's got the skills and the smarts and the skating to be an offensive producing player."

Blackhawks still have 'work to do' on decision at No. 1

Although it's widely expected that center Connor Bedard of Regina of the Western Hockey League will be the No. 1 pick in the draft, Chicago Blackhawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey said nothing has been decided.

"I've still got a lot of work to do," he said.

Bedard, Fantilli and center Leo Carlsson of Orebro of the Swedish Hockey League are all under consideration by the Blackhawks.

"These three players, they've earned the right to be in the conversation for No. 1," Doneghey said. "They're all different in their own regard. I think hockey IQ is something all three of them have. Some are a little bit bigger than others, some are a little bit better skaters than others. You look at a guy like Leo Carlsson (6-3, 198), he's playing pro hockey in the SHL. They've all gone on different paths, Adam playing college hockey, Connor playing in the Western Hockey League. So they're all at high levels, but different levels, and they all exceeded expectations at those levels. I think they've all earned the right to be in the conversation."

Photos: Michigan Photography (Fantilli); Fowler family (Fowler/Brindley)