Are there still those concerned with Adam Fantilli?
The Columbus Blue Jackets have positioned themselves well heading into the Four Nations Face-Off break. They are one point out of a playoff spot as they prepare to play their marquee matchup against the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium on Mar. 1.
No one could have predicted Columbus to be doing what they are. And that's assuming everything and then some went right for the club, headed by incoming president and general manager Don Waddell and guided by new head coach Dean Evason.
It's been a seamless transition from just a year ago, where everything that could have gone wrong often did.
We've heard about the Blue Jackets' deep prospect pool for the last few seasons, but what needed to happen next was for those individual talents to accelerate and take the next step.
Fantilli, the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, showed promise last season until a mid-season injury cut his rookie campaign short with a calf laceration.
As he plays out his second season, and first full NHL season, Fantilli has continued his development as he plays under a veteran head coach who has worked with several highly skilled talents such as Kirill Kaprizov in Minnesota and future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin.
A Hobey Baker winner at the University of Michigan, Fantilli has dazzled on the ice and shown what he is capable of from an offensive perspective. He might have been frustrated when he wasn't finding the back of the net at the start of the season but Evason eradicated any concerns about the counting stats like goals and assists.
"I think the dam is broken," Evason said in October regarding Fantilli's offensive ability and when the points will come.
"I'm not worried about points. All we were talking to him about was playing hard every night. Playing really strong defensively. He has such an offensive instinct and he drives our offense.
"He's been everything that people have told me personally about him with his skill set. But what I'm most impressed with is his work ethic and his team-first mentality is fantastic."
Since top center Sean Monahan went down with a wrist injury that required surgery, sidelining him until March, Fantilli has been thrust into the top center spot, and with that, the goals and assists have come.
Adam Fantilli said he's picked up a lot of little things from watching Sean Monahan on a daily basis. Has #CBJ coach Dean Evason seen that?
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) January 12, 2025
"For sure. His stopping, his stuck, his positioning, faceoffs, how he competes, how he stops on pucks, how he is underneath pucks and
During this season, he has 32 points, 15 goals, and 17 assists, all career highs and counting.
Including Jan. 7, the game Monahan went down, Fantilli's seven goals co-lead the team with Kent Johnson. He's tied for second with eight assists, trailing Zach Werenski's nine, and he leads the Jackets with 15 points.
"I think a lot of people don't realize he's stepped up all year," Evason said following Fantilli's first career hat trick in a 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs last month.
"He's had a lot of learning experiences this year with figuring out the defensive game. You have to keep the puck out of the net and if he's not committed to do that, he doesn't get looks like he's getting."
It really feels like Fantilli's confidence is growing along with his game and though it's never ideal to lose a productive two-way player in the form of Sean Monahan, this has been a great test for Fantilli to get his skates wet as a top-line center.
