Top prospect makes hockey history after winning IIHF World Championship gold to cap off an incredible year

Projected to be the second player off the board in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, Adam Fantilli just concluded his draft-eligible season on a high note, helping Canada claim gold at the IIHF World Championships.

Fantilli not only won gold at the World Championship tournament this season, but he also won gold at the World Junior Championship in the winter, led the NCAA circuit in goals and points, won Freshman of the Year while playing for the University of Michigan, and topped it off by winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top player at the collegiate level.

By winning the World Junior and World Championship gold in the same year, Fantilli is only the second Canadian player to ever do it, with Jonathan Toews as the only other player. The Nobleton, Ontario native scored 2 goals and 5 points in 7 games at the WJC and while he only scored 1 goal and 3 points in 10 games at the WC, it was against professionals compared to the draft-eligible collegiate players he faced off against all year.

With Connor Bedard being the consensus number one pick this summer, Fantilli has been jockeying for the second spot with Leo Carlsson - who scored 3 goals and 5 points in 8 games at the WC and 3 goals and 6 points at the WJC.


The Anaheim Ducks are selecting second overall and have a very good chance at adding Fantilli to the mix of Trevor Zegras, Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale, Olen Zellweger, and Nathan Gaucher among many others.