How would you describe Adam Fantilli game? NHL player comparable and would he have gone 1st overall in 22 or 21 if he was there?
How good is Adam Fantilli? Where would he have been picked in the last 2 draft classes in 2021 or 22 if he was there?
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Castle8130
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I think he may have gone 1st in 2021, 2022, and even 2020. Lafreniere was a beast in his draft year, but Fantilli won the Hobey Baker award and had an equivalent world juniors (probably better had Bedard not taken a lot of the ice time). Heck, Fantilli would've gone 1st or 2nd in any draft going back to the 2017 draft.
GermanSpitfire
EU Video Scout for McKeen’s
He would have gone first every year after 2016. He would have been challenged in 2018, 2019 and 2020 but he would have still been the favourite in those years, in my opinion.
First easily last year. Cooley closed the gap by the end of the season - both were amazing…but Fantilli doing it at a slightly young age, just a bigger frame and entire season resume absolutely worthy of being a that rare freshman and pre-draft prospect to win the Hobey. (Cooley was my pick last year and even more so would be this year for 2022’s crop)
People will dissect his game as they are want to do with all prospects heading into the draft and he’s clearly not a generational style prospect. But you really can’t ask for a better “build a franchise center prospect” than Fantilli.
People will dissect his game as they are want to do with all prospects heading into the draft and he’s clearly not a generational style prospect. But you really can’t ask for a better “build a franchise center prospect” than Fantilli.
A big center that can skate, provide offense and play a two way game? Yeah that earns you 1st in many drafts
Castle8130
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Now that I think about it, if teams are given the green light to pick Michkov, Anaheim could pick him at #2. I personally think he is more talented than Fantilli, but I'm not sure how politics play into the draft. Maybe Russia has problems with him going to the NHL because of the Ukraine war situation with them getting barred from international play.
It has a lot less to do with the international political situation that it does with Michkov being contracted to the KHL through 2026. KHL players out of contract are still freely flowing in the NHL.
Waiting 3 years for Michkov would be a sticking point whether there was a war going on or not. It is maybe, possibly, probably the best for his development. But for a franchise picking at #2 or #3 right now - asking them, their coaching staff and their fanbase to wait 3 years for the shiny new object to appear on shore is not a easy. Not many GMs - especially picking that high - have the kind of job security to delay the fruits of labor (or tanking) to that degree even if it would be better in the long-run.
ValeriKamensky
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Politic is no reason. Truth is Adam Fantilli is a better player than Michkov. If you are GM of the team in rebuild mode you will take a center with great offensive upside, two way abilities, skating and size over undersized winger, whose best strength is shooting. Every day and every night you’ll be.
I’ve never been impressed watching him but his resume should speak a lot louder than some HFBoards hack’s opinion.
IMO Michkov is a much better talent and has things that you can’t teach whereas Fantilli’s size and strength advantage is going to be less noticeable at NHL level.
IMO Michkov is a much better talent and has things that you can’t teach whereas Fantilli’s size and strength advantage is going to be less noticeable at NHL level.
WarriorofTime
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He definitely goes first in 2022. That's an obvious one.
Probably not 2021 but perhaps, in that scenario he and Power are likely on the same teams (they both turned down OHL to go Chicago Steel -> Michigan Wolverines) so they're a bit easier to compare
Probably not 2021 but perhaps, in that scenario he and Power are likely on the same teams (they both turned down OHL to go Chicago Steel -> Michigan Wolverines) so they're a bit easier to compare
Lavar Ball
Neva Lost
I definitely think he goes over Power.
Hughes and Lafreniere maybe, Dahlin I don't think so.
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I think only Dahlin and Lafreniere get drafted over him, if you look at all the drafts since 2016 (Matthews)
scoutman1
Twitter - scoutman33
Ya i do not think so...Michkov would be giving Bedard a run for 1st overall in this draft if not for POLITICS....Michkov is the best russian prospect since Ovechkin and he won MVP and top scorer of the U18s at 16 years old and won it over Connor Bedar who was part of the tourny as well.
Lafreniere? you might mean Jack Hughes
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I feel like Lafreniere's hype was greater especailly if you consider multiple years leading up to the draft, and Hughes's numbers were amazing but he wasn't the prototypical 1C that teams look for and Fantilli would have overtaken him as a result.
Edit: I mean Kakko made it a legit debate, and Fantilli would have had a better resume and play a coveted position.
Edit2: or maybe not here's bob's final rankings which is probably the best litmus test of the hype entering the draft:
Lafreniere the surest thing in a most uncertain draft year - TSN.ca
Ninety-three players and seven honourable mentions - headlined by Rimouski's Alexis Lafreniere - make up TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie's final player ranking ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft.
www.tsn.ca
Skinnyjimmy08
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He's a 1st overall caliber player.... it's just unfortunate his draft year falls on the same year as a generational talent .....Ducks fans should be soooooo pumped to get him
Most of us were rooting for a last place finish specifically to guarantee no lower than 3rd overall. In a certain respect, though coming runner up in a second lottery for a generational tier prospect hurts, it is kind of moving up to get second instead of third.
Think the safest money on who Verbeek will go with is Fantilli. Unless Carlsson shows a whole new level at the World Championships.
SavBigMoneyAtBedards
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| 2014 | Florida Panthers | Aaron Ekblad | |
| 2015 | Edmonton Oilers | Connor McDavid | |
| 2016 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Auston Matthews | |
| 2017 | New Jersey Devils | Nico Hischier | |
| 2018 | Buffalo Sabres | Rasmus Dahlin | |
| 2019 | New Jersey Devils | Jack Hughes | |
| 2020 | New York Rangers | Alexis Lafreniere | |
| 2021 | Buffalo Sabres | Owen Power | |
| 2022 | Montreal Canadiens | Juraj Slafkovský |
Over the last 10 years:
I think Fanitllli tops Hischier, Lafreniere, Power, and Slafkovský.
He can be an Eric Staal-type. Big, strong, 2-way force for a long time.
Dirtyf1ghter
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Fantilli is not very strong in defensive play and was relegated in the hierarchy during the U20 tournament. Michkov's offensive talent is all-around and his defensive involvement with Sochi has increased.
3 years ago Michkov had pulverized the YOG tournament, 2 years ago he had been elected best player of the U18 tournament in front of Bedard then dominated HG Tournament and had already scored 3 goals during the U20 tournament. At that time, he was only an MHL player so he would have had crazy tournaments with his current level.
Fantilli has never impressed during international tournaments.
I don't think it's being presumptuous to say that Michkov would have crushed USHL and NCAA playing with one of the best teams.
Michkov always supported the comparison with Bedard until February 2022. He was No. 2 on the lists because a winger and older than Bedard. But when was Fantilli able to compete with Bedard?
Dominance
99-66-4-9-87/97
The favourable comparison to Eichel is just so incredibly easy to make. As prospects:
McDavid, Bedard
Matthews, Eichel, Fantilli
Lafreniere, Hughes, Dahlin, Power
McDavid, Bedard
Matthews, Eichel, Fantilli
Lafreniere, Hughes, Dahlin, Power
scoutman1
Twitter - scoutman33
little bit different game than Staal....Fantilli is very fast skater...has good hands and is an excellent goal scorer....Staal is more laid back style player with good IQ and hands
He reminds me of Jim Carrey the actor, especially his humor. So in any other draft you would select him 1st overall.
Because fans want to be entertained, and who else can do better than Adam Ace Fantilli
?I think he would go before everyone other than McDavid (and Eichel), Matthews, and Dahlin.
Breakfast of Champs
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Definitely #1 in 2022, probably #1 in 2021 as well.
I personally don't think he gets taken over Laf, who was much more dominant at the WJC and was seen as an elite #1 pick. Fantilli had a dominant NCAA season and Laf was dominant in the CHL, the only level playing grounds would be the WJC where Laf was much better, I think that tips the scales for him. I obviously expect him to do better than Laf has but at the time Laf was a better prospect by a little bit.
2019 would be close and probably a 1A 1B - a difference in styles and there would be arguments for both.
2018 - Dahlin is still #1 and Fantilli is probably a hair above Svechnikov, who also had quite a bit of hype in his own right.
2017 - Easily 1st IMO
I personally don't think he gets taken over Laf, who was much more dominant at the WJC and was seen as an elite #1 pick. Fantilli had a dominant NCAA season and Laf was dominant in the CHL, the only level playing grounds would be the WJC where Laf was much better, I think that tips the scales for him. I obviously expect him to do better than Laf has but at the time Laf was a better prospect by a little bit.
2019 would be close and probably a 1A 1B - a difference in styles and there would be arguments for both.
2018 - Dahlin is still #1 and Fantilli is probably a hair above Svechnikov, who also had quite a bit of hype in his own right.
2017 - Easily 1st IMO
DFF
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