Hobey Baker Award winner Adam Fantilli says he nearly came to UND at age 16
Jul. 6—GRAND FORKS — Hobey Baker Award winner Adam Fantilli said he nearly ended up at UND — as a 16-year-old.
On the
Spittin' Chiclets podcast
with producer Mike Grinnell and former NHL players Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette, Fantilli said his college decision was between Michigan and UND.
"I wanted to follow Jonathan Toews as much as possible growing up," Fantilli said on the podcast about the former UND star. "I fast-tracked high school as well. I wanted to be able to go in a year early to college. That opportunity came up to go to North Dakota because (Jasper) Weatherby had signed and they needed a player like last minute to go in there."
Weatherby signed with the San Jose Sharks on the first day of class, Aug. 24, 2021.
Fantilli was a rare uncommitted, unsigned, college-ready player. He said UND offered him to fill that spot as a centerman.
Fantilli was coming off a strong season with the Chicago Steel, helping them to a Clark Cup as United States Hockey League champions. Fantilli had 36 points in 49 regular-season games, but was particularly strong in the postseason. He scored eight goals in eight playoff games.
Had Fantilli come, he would have played the first series of the year against Niagara University as a 16-year-old. He would have turned 17 the following week.
Fantilli would have been the youngest player ever to play at UND.
"When I was put in the actual situation, I realized how much I loved Chicago and wanted to go back there for the second year," Fantilli said on the podcast. "So, I headed back."
Fantilli's older brother, Luca, had committed to Michigan a year and a half earlier.
"My brother was really on me about going to see Michigan and checking out the campus and stuff like that," Fantilli told Spittin' Chiclets. "Once I went up there to see what everything was like, and go on campus and see the rink and meet all the guys, I fell in love with it. It was four hours away from home. My brother was there. The campus was awesome. Everything was just pointing me that way."
Fantilli, of Nobleton, Ont., committed to Michigan that fall.
Fantilli did once make an unofficial visit to UND. He came on March 12, 2020 — the same day the college hockey season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. UND was the nation's No. 1 team in the Pairwise Rankings at the time.
Fantilli played for the Chicago Steel in 2021-22, tallying 74 points in 54 games. He went to Michigan in 2022-23 and led the NCAA in goals (30) and points (65) as a freshman, winning the Hobey Baker Award.
UND had to fill Weatherby's roster spot by bringing a previously committed forward a year earlier than planned, because the transfer portal was barren by that time and there were few viable options with uncommitted, college-ready players. Grand Forks native Dane Montgomery, who was set to play for the Penticton Vees in the British Columbia Hockey League, ended up getting the call.
Despite 14 new players on the roster, the Fighting Hawks went on to win the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Penrose Cup in 2021-22. They lost to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Star defenseman Jake Sanderson suffered a season-ending injury and missed the NCHC Frozen Faceoff and NCAA tournament.
The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Fantilli No. 3 overall in June's NHL Draft. He signed with Columbus last weekend.
