Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Height / Weight: 6’2, 195 lbs
Born: Oct. 12, 2004 | Nobleton, ON
Nation: Canada
Official stats: Big-10 Stats/Game Log
Background
Fantilli has been on the 2023 draft radar for many years, as his reputation as a potential top-five pick developed sometime between 2018 and 2020 during formative stints in Toronto’s minor-midget GTHL and the U.S. prep circuit. Fantilli’s stature in scouting circles continued to grow following an impressive freshman season with Kimball-Union Academy in 2019-20, which also cemented his standing as one of Canada’s top 2004-born prospects. In fact, the Nobleton, Ont. native would have been a near-unanimous choice for No. 1 overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection had he not expressed his desire to play collegiately (he did end up going 18th overall to Saginaw in case he changed his mind about the NCAA). And there were plenty of reasons why — big, fast, physical centers with point-producing upside can solve problems in any zone at any time. These types of players have been rarities in recent NHL drafts, which helped accelerate Fantilli’s already burgeoning stock.
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