Right before our eyes, Adam Fantilli is beginning to break out. The 2023 third overall pick may only have 20 points through 42 games so far this season - but 5 of those have come in the last 4 games; where we're seeing a smarter, more confident player for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It hasn't gone as easily as we'd hoped. Fantilli was drafted by the Blue Jackets after a dominant freshman season at the University of Michigan. He scored 30 goals and 65 points in 37 games en route to a Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA hockey in his only year with the Wolverines.
At 6'2" and with a pro ready frame, we hoped he would step right into the lineup as the long awaited #1 center for the Blue Jackets in his rookie season. While he showed promise and put up some good numbers, he certainly was not ready for that role. His season ending injury certainly didn't help, either. But, halfway through his second NHL season, he's starting to show glimpses.
A lot of that is due to the way the coaching staff has been developing him this year. Adam hasn't been rolled out in heavily offensive (easy) minutes like you might expect from a 20 year old center trying to find his way in the league. Instead, Dean Evason and his staff have challenged Fantilli by giving him ice time against secondary competition in all situations - even defensive zone draws.
I don't think anyone would try to hide the fact that this has led to some lumps on the ice. That's obvious when you consider that Fantilli is currently a -9 on the year (third worst on the team). But, this has given him consistent enough ice time to learn in all three zones. As a result, he's learned a lot, and not just from his on-ice play.
Monahan has made a huge difference.
The Blue Jackets brought in Sean Monahan this summer to do a couple of things. First, he's been an obvious upgrade to the center position on the top line. In that regard, he's exactly what we've needed for a long time. There are two other things his presence has done, though. And they are probably more important in the long run.
Monahan's arrival has taken the matchup burden away from Fantilli, which has given the team the freedom to let him learn at his own pace, without the pressure of playing against a top line center on every shift. And, he's been a visual mentor for Fantilli. You can see it in Adam's game, as he starts to mimic the things Monahan does best.
Adam Fantilli is evolving into a #1 center right before our eyes.
The result: when Monahan went down with injury, Fantilli stepped into the top line and the team did not skip a beat. In four periods in that role, Adam has a goal and two assists. Below is an example of what has changed in his game, and I think it's a direct result of watching Monahan:
This is the evolution we've been seeing with Fantilli, in the works.
— Union and Blue (@UnionAndBlue) January 10, 2025
Earlier this year, I think he probably goes flying into the corner. But here, he stops in the open ice and waits for his linemates to get him the puck. He's breaking out right before our eyes. #CBJ https://t.co/T0OjTHKCV1
Adam is playing above the puck in all three zones, which is the biggest adjustment he needed to make at the NHL level. He's no longer working hard to chase the play. Instead, he's working himself into position like he was on the above example. Once there, he's able to showcase the elite skillset that made him the #3 overall pick in the draft. Buckle up, I think he'll be must see TV from here forward.