Adam Fantilli
Canadian centre, third overall pick, Hobey Baker winner.
Adam Fantilli (born October 12, 2004) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. Selected third overall in the 2023 NHL entry draft, he played one season at the University of Michigan. As a freshman, he led the nation in goals and points, averaging 1.81 points per game—the third-highest mark in NCAA history behind Johnny Gaudreau and Kyle Connor. He won the Hobey Baker Award, becoming only the third freshman to do so, following Paul Kariya (1993) and Jack Eichel (2015).
Fantilli was drafted 18th overall by the Saginaw Spirit in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, but he had already committed to the Chicago Steel of the USHL. After he did not report, the Spirit traded his OHL rights to the North Bay Battalion in September 2021 for a first-round pick and conditional compensation. At Kimball Union Academy, he posted 18 goals and 18 assists in 25 games. He signed a USHL tender with Chicago for 2020–21, recording 18 goals and 18 assists in 49 regular-season games and earning USHL All-Rookie Second Team honours. In the Clark Cup playoffs, he scored eight goals and one assist in eight games, leading the Steel to the Anderson Cup and Clark Cup and being named playoffs MVP. The following season, he led Chicago in scoring with 37 goals and 37 assists in 54 games—his 37 goals were second-most in program history, and his 74 points tied Kyle Connor for the most by a player in their draft-minus-one season in USHL history. He was named to the All-USHL First Team.
In August 2021, Fantilli committed to Michigan. He debuted on October 7, 2022, winning 15 of 19 faceoffs and recording two assists against Lindenwood, and scored his first collegiate goal the next day. He notched his first hat-trick on October 21 against Lake Superior State, then added a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) the following day. He was named Big Ten First Star of the Week after seven points in that series. Through his first six games, he had 15 points—the best start for a Wolverine since Bruno Baseotto’s 19 in 1979. He was named HCA Men’s Player and Rookie of the Month for October (eight goals, 10 assists in eight games) and Player of the Month for January (five goals, nine assists in six games, leading the NCAA with 2.33 points per game).
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 2004-10-12
- Birth Place
- Nobleton, Ontario, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 205
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Ntl Team
- Canada
- Draft
- 3rd overall
- Draft Year
- 2023
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Fantilli played youth hockey for the Chicago Steel of the USHL, where he recorded 18 goals and 18 assists in 49 games during the 2020–21 season and was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team. He led the Steel in scoring the following season with 37 goals and 37 assists in 54 games, tying Kyle Connor for the most points by a player in their draft-minus-one season in USHL history. He was named to the All-USHL First Team after that season.
He committed to the University of Michigan in August 2021 and began his collegiate career in the 2022–23 season. He recorded 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games, leading the nation in points and goals. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team, and won the Hobey Baker Award. He also set the Big Ten tournament record for goals (7) and points (11) in a single tournament.
Fantilli made his NHL debut on his 19th birthday and scored his first NHL goal ten days later. His rookie season was cut short after 49 games due to a calf laceration. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on January 22, 2025, with 70 family and friends in attendance.
Reader's Guide
Fantilli's significance lies in his rapid ascent from USHL standout to Hobey Baker-winning freshman at Michigan to top-three NHL draft pick. His 2022–23 collegiate season placed him among the most productive freshmen in NCAA history, with a 1.81 points-per-game average that trailed only Johnny Gaudreau and Kyle Connor among recent top scorers. Winning the Hobey Baker as a freshman placed him in a select group with Paul Kariya and Jack Eichel. Internationally, he won gold at both the 2023 World Junior Championships and the 2023 IIHF World Championship in the same year, becoming the second Canadian to do so after Jonathan Toews. His professional career began with promise, scoring 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 games before a season-ending injury. His hat-trick in January 2025, witnessed by his mother who threw her hat onto the ice, highlighted his continued development with the Blue Jackets.
Did You Know?
- He won the Clark Cup Playoffs MVP with the Chicago Steel in 2021.
- He is the third freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award, after Paul Kariya and Jack Eichel.
- His mother was the first person to throw her hat onto the ice after his first NHL hat-trick.
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