Fantilli ends up in the 'right spot' with the Blue Jackets

Adam Fantilli was the one on the stage after being chosen with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, but he brought more than 100 of his closest friends and family members with him.

The maroon suit the University of Michigan star wore to the NHL draft wasn't just stylish; it had a special message inside. Fantilli had over 130 names printed on the back of the vest on his custom-made suit as a way to recognize those who helped him make it to Nashville.

At the bottom of the list, near the belt, the center inscribed a special message: "It takes a village."

"It was my parents' idea to get the list of names," Fantilli said. "And then a lot of the suit people were telling me I couldn't get it on the liner. I figured it would be a little bit better if I put it on the back of the three-piece and then put pictures on the inside of the suit. It turned out exactly like I wanted it to. I was so, so excited."

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The excitement didn't stop there for Fantilli. In a clip released by the NHL shortly after he was chosen, Fantilli was asked last month his preferred draft destination. Despite playing at Michigan, he didn't hesitate to say Columbus.

A few weeks later, what the Toronto-area native manifested has come true.

"I do remember (saying that)," he said. "It's close to home. I thought it would be a great fit. There's a lot of the Michigan guys there. It just felt like it would be the right spot."

It all came together quickly on this humid night in the Music City. Chicago had the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and wasted little time selecting Canadian junior superstar Connor Bedard, but the real question mark came down to Anaheim's choice at No. 2. After using the entirety of their allotted time, the Ducks walked to the stage and selected Swedish center Leo Carlsson with the pick.

From there, the Blue Jackets had the ability to pick Fantilli, who finished ranked second in 13 of 15 rankings used in our pre-draft consensus poll and was the No. 2-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting.

"I think we got a great player," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "As I said all along, I think we're going to get a great player at No. 3, and we got Adam. We are very pleased. He's exactly what we need, exactly that player we're always looking for -- a 200-foot player that plays the game the right way, produces, but not just with skill but with determination and character and will. Those players are rarely available, so we're very, very pleased to have him."

Fantilli's bona fides are strong after one of the best freshman seasons in college hockey history, as his 30 goals and 65 points in 36 games were enough to lead college hockey in both stats. In addition, his mark of 1.81 points per game was the best in college hockey since current Winnipeg star Kyle Connor also played at U-M in 2015.

With those numbers, Fantilli became the third freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey, joining Paul Kariya and Jack Eichel. In addition, he won a pair of gold medals with Team Canada this past season, first at the IIHF World Junior Championships and then at the IIHF World Championships.

With accomplishments such as those, Fantilli -- the second No. 3 overall pick in team history, tied for the third-highest draft pick ever for the Jackets -- will come to Columbus with big expectations. His unique combination of skill, size (6-2, 195) and snarl will make him viewed as a potential No. 1 center, expectations he hopes to fulfill.

"Obviously that's exciting," he said. "I'm honored to have those types of expectations. Hopefully I'll be able to meet them. I just want to get there and work as hard as I can and compete as hard as I can and be the best version of myself I can possibly be."

Kekalainen said he personally saw Fantilli play about 15 times this year both at Michigan and internationally, and the general manager added that while the Blue Jackets will work with Fantilli about his immediate future and the decision to turn pro, the team believes he's ready for the next level.

Time will tell how that will work out, but in the meantime, Fantilli showed he's already quite familiar with what it means to be a Blue Jacket.

"If I can make that cannon go off, its going to be really, really cool," he said.