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Adam Fantilli Wins 2023 Hobey Baker Award

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It was a banner year for Wolverines center Adam Fantilli and he was rewarded for his efforts on Friday by winning the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in the NCAA.  He beat out Golden Gophers forwards Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies.

Fantilli’s freshman year was nothing short of dominant with Michigan.  The 18-year-old leads the NCAA in scoring this season with 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games; he collected at least a point in all but three of his appearances.  That also helped him take home National Rookie of the Year honors earlier today.  Fantilli also suited up at the World Juniors for Canada where he picked up five points in seven contests.  His performance this season has him as the consensus second-overall selection in the upcoming draft in June.

Cooley was the third-overall pick by the Coyotes last summer and had a dominant freshman year, notching 22 goals and 38 assists in just 38 games for the University of Minnesota with one more contest to come tomorrow in the championship game.  That puts him second in college scoring this season behind only Fantilli.  Cooley also dominated at the World Juniors with seven goals and seven assists in just seven games and while that had no bearing on the voting for this award, the Coyotes have to be thrilled with the progression of their top prospect.  It’s possible that he’s a one-and-done player with a decision on that front to come likely early next week.

Knies, a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs back in 2021, has been one of the more prominent power forwards at the NCAA level while often playing alongside Cooley on the Golden Gophers.  The 20-year-old has 21 goals and 21 assists in 39 games this season, good for a tie for 15th in NCAA scoring, and can add to those totals tomorrow against Quinnipiac.  It’s widely expected that he will turn pro after Saturday’s championship game with his entry-level deal likely to begin immediately, giving Toronto a bit of extra depth heading into the first round against Tampa Bay later this month.

Fantilli becomes the third Wolverine to win the award since it was first handed out in 1981, joining former NHL players Brendan Morrison (1997) and Kevin Porter (2008).

Last year’s winner of the award was goaltender Dryden McKay.  An undrafted free agent, McKay eventually signed a two-year AHL deal with Toronto.  A full history of Hobey Baker Award winners can be found here.

Hobey Baker Award Finalists Announced

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The three finalists for this year’s Hobey Baker Award are Adam Fantilli, Matthew Knies and Logan Cooley, according to Steven Ellis of DailyFaceoff.

Fantilli, a freshman at the University of Michigan, is considered a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and led all NCAA scorers with 64 points (29G, 35A) in 35 games, finishing seven points ahead of Cooley for the top spot. Fantilli has been able to further cement his status as a likely lottery selection in the draft, and adding the Hobey Baker would only solidify that standing.

Cooley, the No. 3 overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes last summer, had 57 points (20G, 37A) in 37 games for the University of Minnesota. Cooley’s strong showing this season has given the Coyotes more reason to believe they have a potential No. 1 center in their organization. His 14 points in 7 games at the World Junior Championships for the US also showed he has an ability to perform in pressure situations. Cooley might be looking to join the pro ranks if he can claim this year’s Hobey Baker.

Knies, a 2021 second-rounder by the Toronto Maple Leafs, finished tied for 19th in NCAA scoring with 41 points (21G, 20A) in 38 games playing alongside Cooley at Minnesota. Knies, a sophomore, built on a strong freshman campaign that saw him record 15 goals and 18 assists in 33 games. As a member of an organization annually tight with the salary cap, Knies has begun to develop into a player who could make an impact in the NHL while on an entry level contract. It remains to be seen when Knies will decide to turn pro, but winning the Hobey Baker could accelerate that process.

The winner of the Hobey Baker Award will be announced on Friday, April 7.

Morning Notes: Fantilli, NCAA Men’s Tournament, Benn

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If there was any doubt that University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli has solidified his placement as the presumptive second-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, it’s shrunk massively over the past few weeks. Fantilli’s assist last night in Michigan’s Big 10 tournament championship victory gave him 11 points in four games at the tournament, setting the all-time record, as reported by NHL.com’s Mike Morreale.

Understandably, he took home Most Outstanding Player honors as well, guiding Michigan to their second consecutive tournament victory over the University of Minnesota. The freshman center enters the national tournament with 61 points in just 33 games this season, and his 1.85 points per game are the highest of any NCAA men’s player since Kyle Connor in 2015-16, also with Michigan.

Among the 2023 draft class, Fantilli’s impressiveness and brilliance have been overshadowed only by Connor Bedard this season. He’ll have one last chance to show what he can do in the college ranks during the national tournament before inevitably turning pro next fall.

More notes from the hockey world this morning:

  • The 16 teams that will make up the field for the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament are set, according to ESPN’s John Buccigross. Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Michigan, Denver, Boston University, Harvard, St. Cloud State, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, Western Michigan, Cornell, Merrimack, Colgate, and Canisius will all participate in college hockey’s final set of games for 2023. The seeding and first-round matchups will be revealed later this evening after the conclusion of the women’s championships game between Wisconsin and Ohio State.
  • With the playoffs just around the corner, a defensive depth piece in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization may be unavailable to them for a while. Jordie Benn was injured in last night’s AHL Toronto Marlies game and did not return, and Marlies head coach Greg Moore offered no postgame update. Benn, 32, has two points in 12 games while playing for the Maple Leafs this season but has fallen down the depth chart quickly after a flurry of trade deadline adds at the position.

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2023 Hobey Baker

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With the end of collegiate hockey calendar approaching, the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award have been announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, Cale Makar, and Cole Caufield have all taken it home over the last decade, with each going on to star at the professional level.

Goaltender Dryden McKay, last year’s winner, is currently playing with the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL, after a history career at Minnesota State-Mankato. McKay posted a .932 save percentage and 26 shutouts across 140 college games, winning 113 of them.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

Earlier this year, 87 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top 10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization that owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Logan Cooley, University of Minnesota (Arizona Coyotes)

Adam Fantilli, University of Michigan (2023 draft eligible)

Sean Farrell, Harvard University (Montreal Canadiens)

Collin Graf, Quinnipiac University (undrafted)

Lane Hutson, Boston University (Montreal Canadiens)

Matthew Knies, University of Minnesota (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Devon Levi, Northeastern University (Buffalo Sabres)

Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac University (undrafted)

Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech University (undrafted)

Jason Polin, Western Michigan University (undrafted)

Corey Pronman Releases 2023 NHL Draft Rankings

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With the trade deadline now over and the playoffs approaching, the next big transaction frenzy won’t occur until the 2023 NHL entry draft. Several teams have positioned themselves to be active at the draft and today Corey Pronman of The Athletic released his 2023 NHL draft rankings. Pronman considers this to be an above average draft that is heavy on forwards, this is evident in the rankings as he has only defenseman in his top ten.

The top of the draft offers no surprises as Connor Bedard is still the consensus top overall pick. Bedard continues to be viewed as a franchise changing player drawing favorable comparisons to David Pastrnak, Patrick Kane, and Nikita Kucherov. The only knock on Bedard continues to be his size, as he stands just 5′ 9″ and weights 185 pounds. While he does play with a physical edge, Pronman wonders if he eventually gets pushed from center to the wing.

Russian born winger Matvei Michkov is Pronman’s second ranked prospect in the draft. He too is on the smaller size standing just 5’10” and weighing in at just 172 pounds. Pronman considers Michkov to be one of the best draft eligible prospects he’s seen inside the offensive zone. Michkov recently completed the best 17-year-old season in Russia’s junior league history, topping Nikita Kucherov. He is seen as a game breaking elite scorer with a mind that sees the game in a way that few players do. He is currently signed to the KHL until 2025-26, meaning any team that drafts him might have to wait a few years for Michkov to make an impact.

Slotting in at number three in Pronman’s rankings is center Adam Fantilli out of Michigan. He was ranked second back in Pronman’s January rankings and draws comparisons to Jonathan Toews. Fantilli is fresh off one of the best underage seasons in USHL history and is currently having one of the best seasons seen in the modern era by a first-year draft eligible college player. While his speed and hockey sense are ranked as NHL average, his puck skills are seen as elite. Fantilli projects as an elite NHLer and a number one center on a very good team.

Pronman views Bedard, Michkov and Fantilli as first overall pick type of prospects. But obviously there can only be one first overall pick this June in Nashville and it appears as though that will be Connor Bedard.

 

Pronman’s top ten draft eligible players are:

  1. Connor Bedard, Regina (WHL)
  2. Matvei Michkov. Sochi (KHL)
  3. Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NCAA)
  4. Leo Carlsson, Orebro (SHL)
  5. Nate Danielson, Brandon (WHL)
  6. William Smith, USA U-18 (NTDP)
  7. David Reinbacher, Kloten (NL)
  8. Danil But, Yaroslavl (MHL)
  9. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound (OHL)
  10. Samuel Honzek, Vancouver (WHL)

 

Pronman’s full list can be found here.

 

 

NHL Central Scouting Releases Midterm 2023 Rankings

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The midterm rankings are out from NHL Central Scouting for the 2023 draft, and unsurprisingly, Connor Bedard takes home the top spot among North American skaters. The Regina Pats forward set a number of records at the recent World Juniors, and won’t turn 18 until July, making him one of the younger players in the draft. Dan Marr, vice president of NHL Central Scouting, has this to say about the WHL phenom:

Connor Bedard is an outstanding talent with the ability to utilize all of his skills and assets at top speed, placing him on a level of his own right now as the No. 1 prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft. He is one of the more natural scorers to come along since Patrick Kane with a Draft hype reminiscent of Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. Like those three, Bedard is a player that can bring you out of your seat.

Adam Fantilli, another Canadian forward prospect with huge upside, ranks second behind Bedard in the NA list. A freshman for the University of Michigan, Fantilli has racked up 11 goals and 26 points in just 16 games. He is a good bet to go second overall but didn’t have the runaway World Junior tournament that Bedard experienced, which seems to have widened the gap considerably between the two.

The top ten North American skaters are:

  1. Connor Bedard, Regina Pats (WHL)
  2. Adam Fantilli, Michigan (NCAA)
  3. William Smith, USNTDP
  4. Ryan Leonard, USNTDP
  5. Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw (WHL)
  6. Oliver Moore, USNTDP
  7. Zach Benson, Winnipeg (WHL)
  8. Matthew Wood, UConn (NCAA)
  9. Samuel Honzek, Vancouver (WHL)
  10. Colby Barlow, Owen Sound (OHL)

Not to be forgotten is the international list, which could be considered an even deeper top-10. While the top-ranked Leo Carlsson from Sweden isn’t quite to Bedard’s level, he is a difference-making talent in his own right. The 18-year-old center is already in his second SHL season playing regular minutes, and has 15 points in 26 games for Orebro HK. The kind of two-way player that can anchor a lineup, Carlsson seems to do everything right, all the time. Marr had this to say about the top European:

Leo Carlsson is a competitive two-way forward with all the tools needed to excel. He is very athletic, a quick and fluid skater, strong on the puck and effective in battles. A very consistent performer capable of making the game look easy with his deceptive smarts and skills. He generates chances at crucial times and is capable of changing the momentum of games.

Beyond Carlsson though is a group of excellent talents that teams will be clamoring over in the summer. Matvei Michkov, a Russian forward that was once considered a potential rival of Bedard’s for the first-overall pick, comes in second. The dynamic Michkov constantly drives the puck to dangerous areas with slick skill and agility, while possessing a hard snapshot and one-timer that make him a weapon on the powerplay. Since a recent move to HK Sochi so that he could actually get some KHL playing time, he has four goals in nine games.

The top ten International skaters are:

  1. Leo Carlsson, Orebro (SHL)
  2. Matvei Michkov, Sochi (KHL)
  3. Axel Sandin Pellikka, Skelleftea (SHL)
  4. Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (Allsvenskan)
  5. Eduard Sale, Brno (Czechia)
  6. Otto Stenberg, Frolunda (Sweden Jr.)
  7. Lenni Hameenaho, Assat (Liiga)
  8. Mikhail Gulyayev, Omsk (KHL)
  9. Kasper Halttunen, HIFK (Liiga)
  10. David Reinbacher, Kloten (NL)

The full rankings, including the goaltending lists, can be found here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Poll: Who Will Finish With The Best Chance At First Overall?

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Success at the World Junior Championship doesn’t guarantee success in the NHL. It’s a junior tournament, after all, and there are countless examples of players who star there only to find it difficult to translate their game to the professional level. Esa Keskinen, for example, is one of the highest-scoring players of all time with 31 points in two tournaments. The fifth-round pick never came over to North America (likely due to his small stature during a different era of hockey), playing out his career in Finland and Sweden instead.

But even as scouts are starting to place less importance on performance there, the World Juniors plays an important role in something else for future stars: an introduction to a wider audience.

In the grand scheme of hockey fans, there aren’t many watching Regina Pats games. They might not get a chance to see future first-overall pick Connor Bedard on a very regular basis, if at all. So when he puts up seven points in one game or comes within one goal of the Canadian record from a ridiculous angle suddenly fans from across the league start dreaming about him pulling on their sweater next season.

Tanking for the first-overall pick doesn’t work all that well in hockey. The draft lottery gives hope to around half the league (depending on trades) and causes anxiety for those clubs at the bottom of the standings. Going into tonight’s games, the Chicago Blackhawks have the best odds of winning the right to select Bedard. Chicago has lost nine of their last ten and 25 of 33 on the year. Their .303 winning percentage would be the third worst in the salary cap era if it continued all year. The two teams ahead (or behind) them though – the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche and 2019-20 Detroit Red Wings – both failed to win the lottery.

Colorado fell to fourth after three teams jumped them, and got the consolation prize of Cale Makar. The Red Wings fell three spots too and had to settle for Lucas Raymond.

There have been some changes since then, meaning Chicago (or whoever finishes last) won’t drop quite so far. But coming last still by no means guarantees the top pick. In fact, a team like the Montreal Canadiens could theoretically end up with an even greater chance, even without finishing last. The Canadiens have their own pick and Florida’s, who are also currently out of the playoff picture. Should the Panthers drop even further, Montreal would essentially have two cracks to move up.

There is also a lot of hockey left to play. One more win would tie the Blackhawks with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Two would bring them even with the Anaheim Ducks, who have played three more games. There’s a long race to be run by quite a few teams.

So as you watch Bedard (and Adam Fantilli) pile goals onto an overmatched Austrian squad, who do you think will enter the draft lottery with the best chance? Cast your vote below and explain how you see it playing out in the comments.

Who will finish with the best chance at the first-overall pick?
Chicago Blackhawks 43.95% (450 votes)
Anaheim Ducks 16.50% (169 votes)
Columbus Blue Jackets 8.98% (92 votes)
Arizona Coyotes 8.89% (91 votes)
Montreal Canadiens 7.23% (74 votes)
Philadelphia Flyers 6.84% (70 votes)
San Jose Sharks 4.00% (41 votes)
Other 3.61% (37 votes)
Total Votes: 1,024

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Hockey Canada Announces Final 2023 WJC Roster

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The selection camp is over and Hockey Canada has chosen the 22 players that will represent their country later this month at the IIHF World Junior Championship. There were 29 players originally named to the camp but after several others were loaned from NHL teams, ten players ended up cut today.

Carson Lambos, Evan Nause, Ethan Samson. Owen Beck, Zachary Bolduc, Jordan Dumais, Ryan Greene, Riley Kidney, Tyler Brennan, and William Rousseau were all sent back to their respective teams.

The roster that will compete:

F Caedan Bankier – Kamloops, WHL (MIN 86th overall, 2021)
F Connor Bedard – Regina, WHL (2023 draft-eligible)
F Colton Dach – Kelowna, WHL (CHI 62nd overall, 2021)
F Zach Dean – Gatineau, QMJHL (VGK 30th overall, 2021)
F Adam Fantilli – Michigan, NCAA (2023 draft-eligible)
F Nathan Gaucher – Québec, QMJHL (ANA 22nd overall, 2022)
F Zack Ostapchuk – Vancouver, WHL (OTT 39th overall, 2021)
F Brennan Othmann – Peterborough, OHL (NYR 16th overall, 2021)
F Joshua Roy – Sherbrooke, QMJHL (MTL 150th overall, 2021)
F Reid Schaefer – Seattle, WHL (EDM 32nd overall, 2022)
F Logan Stankoven – Kamloops, WHL (DAL 47th overall, 2021)
F Shane Wright – Seattle, NHL (SEA 4th overall, 2022)
F Dylan Guenther – Arizona, NHL (ARI 9th overall, 2021)

D Nolan Allan – Seattle, WHL (CHI 32nd overall, 2021)
D Ethan Del Mastro – Mississauga, OHL (CHI 105th overall, 2021)
D Tyson Hinds – Sherbrooke, QMJHL (ANA 76th overall, 2021)
D Kevin Korchinski – Seattle, WHL (CHI 7th overall, 2022)
D Jack Matier – Ottawa, OHL (NSH 124th overall, 2021)
D Olen Zellweger – Everett, WHL (ANA 34th overall, 2021)
D Brandt Clarke – Los Angeles, NHL (LAK 8th overall, 2021)

G Benjamin Gaudreau – Sarnia, OHL (SJS 81st overall, 2021)
G Thomas Milic – Seattle, WHL (undrafted)

NHL Central Scouting Releases “Players To Watch” For 2023 Draft

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The 2023 draft is still months away, but fans of struggling teams are already salivating over the idea of adding talents like Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov, or Adam Fantilli to their organization. Those three are among the 28 names that were included as “A” prospects in NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary “players to watch” list, released today.

The full group of top prospects is as follows:

D Cameron Allen – Guelph, OHL
F Colby Barlow – Owen Sound, OHL
F Connor Bedard – Regina, WHL
F Zach Benson – Winnipeg, WHL
G Carson Bjarnason – Brandon, WHL
F Daniil But – Yaroslavl, Russia Jr.
F Leo Carlsson – Orebro, SHL
F Nate Danielson – Brandon, WHL
F Dalibor Dvorsky – AIK, Sweden-2
F Adam Fantilli – Michigan, NCAA
F Ethan Gauthier – Sherbrooke, QMJHL
D Mikhail Gulyayev – Omsk, KHL
F Kasper Halttunen – HIFK, Liiga
F Riley Heidt – Prince George, WHL
F Samuel Honzek – Vancouver, WHL
G Michael Hrabal – Omaha, USHL
F Ryan Leonard – USNTDP
F Matvei Michkov – SKA St. Petersburg, Russia-2
F Oliver Moore – USNTDP
F Gabriel Perreault – USNTDP
F Calum Ritchie – Oshawa, OHL
F Eduard Sale – Brno, Czechia
D Axel Sandin Pellikka – Skelleftea, Sweden Jr.
F William Smith – USNTDP
F Otto Stenberg – Frolunda, Sweden Jr.
F Charlie Stramel – Wisconsin, NCAA
F Matthew Wood – UConn, NCAA
F Brayden Yager – Moose Jaw, WHL

These are the players who are listed as “1st round candidates,” though it should be noted that there will be several changes before the draft actually rolls around. If you are noticing there is a distinct lack of defensemen listed, you’re not wrong. The preliminary list for the 2021 draft had nine defensemen listed in the 31-player “A” group, while the 2022 group had five out of 23 players listed. This year, the defensemen are almost equal with the goaltenders, showing just how rare difference-making blueliners might be.

Speaking of goaltenders, having two in the preliminary group is rather rare. The 2022 list didn’t have any, and a netminder didn’t come off the board until Topias Leinonen at No. 41 when the draft rolled around. The 2021 group shows how much things can change though. When their preliminary list came out, Jesper Wallstedt was the only goaltender listed as an “A.” While he did end up going in the first round, Sebastian Cossa – ranked a “B” prospect at this point two years ago – was the first goalie off the board, selected 15th overall.

For that matter, Kevin Korchinski, who went seventh overall to the Chicago Blackhawks just a few months ago, was a “B” prospect at this point last year. Korchinski had a breakout season with the Seattle Thunderbirds and skyrocketed up draft boards – something a handful of players do every year.

So while the “A” players may be early favorites to go in the first round, there’s a reason why the whole list is dubbed the players to watch. These are the names you’ll hear bandied about in the months to come, with arguments about upside and floor happening on bar stools and bleachers all across the hockey world.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Hockey Canada Names Men’s U20, U18 Team Selection Camp Rosters

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As the 2022 event cycle begins to come to a close, aside from the postponed 2022 World Juniors set to take place in August, national team organizations begin to look to the 2023 calendar. Today, Hockey Canada named their rosters for the National Men’s Junior Team summer development camp, as well as the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp.

The National Men’s Junior Team roster is comprised of talent from the 2021 NHL Draft, as well as the upcoming 2022 and 2023 NHL Drafts. Among the top NHL-affiliated talent attending the camp is Chicago Blackhawks D Nolan Allan, Columbus Blue Jackets D Corson Ceulemans, Dallas Stars F Wyatt Johnston, Los Angeles Kings D Brandt Clarke, Nashville Predators F Zachary L’Heureux, New Jersey Devils F Chase Stillman, New York Rangers F Brennan Othmann, St. Louis Blues F Zachary Bolduc, and Vegas Golden Knights F Zach Dean. Clarke was notably snubbed from the 2022 World Juniors roster.

In terms of 2022 eligibles to watch at selection camp, the list is as follows: F Luca Del Bel Belluz, F Jagger Firkus, F Nathan Gaucher, F Conor Geekie, F Ryan Greene, F Tucker Robertson, F Matthew Savoie, F Reid Schaefer, D Kevin Korchinski, D Christian Kyrou, D Tristan Luneau, D Denton Mateychuk, D Owen Pickering, G Tyler Brennan, G Chase Coward, and G Thomas Milic. Forwards Nate Danielson and Adam Fantilli also made the camp roster as 2023 eligible. Really, the only 2022 top-ten lock from that list is Savoie, but Geekie, Korchinski, and Mateychuk are also names that could work their way into the first selections.

The U18 roster is made up of 2023 and 2024 eligible players, and it’s highlighted by a trio of 2023 forwards: Zachary Benson, Matthew Wood, and Brayden Yager.

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