While he flew under the radar for the first chunk of the NHL season, Columbus' 2023 third overall pick Adam Fantilli is picking up the pace and starting to prove that Bedard isn't the only generational talent from his draft.

Adam Fantilli has no complaints about flying under the radar.

The 2023 third-overall pick has operated largely in the shadows during a rookie season that’s taken place amid the Connor Bedard Show. However, Fantilli, who was projected as the consensus second-best prospect leading up to his uber-talented draft year, isn’t jealous of the attention Bedard has received.

“I don’t know if I’d love that,” Fantilli told The Hockey News. “It seems like everything he does is under a microscope.”

Being out of the spotlight to start the year was a blessing for Fantilli, who tallied just 10 points in his first two months of NHL action (24 games). No salacious headlines were being published during an acclimation process that saw him struggle to produce offensively while being deployed in a variety of roles. He could just play and figure it out. And that he has.

Fantilli has been red-hot since the start of December, leading all first-year players in goals (7) and tying Bedard for the most points by a rookie (14) through that 18-game span. An injury to Boone Jenner on Dec. 8 has vaulted Fantilli into the Columbus Blue Jackets’ top-line center position and he has fared well while matching up against opponents’ best lines. With each passing game, Fantilli has looked more and more comfortable in the big leagues. So much so, that it won’t be long before the spotlight — albeit not as bright as the one Bedard is under — is on him.

Fantilli’s upside cannot be understated. The Nobelton, Ont. native is coming off recording a 65-point NCAA campaign with the Michigan Wolverines that earned him the Hobey Baker Award as a freshman. According to HockeyProspecting.com, players who produce as Fantilli did in his draft year have a 79 percent chance of becoming star NHL players (which Bader defines as having at least a 0.70 P/PG mark).

“He’s a very, very fast player. But he’s also got a great shot and a great release. That’s what makes him a great player,” said Columbus forward Johnny Gaudreau.

While Bedard was lauded as the hands-down best shooter in the 2023 draft (which he was), Fantilli is a nifty sniper of his own. He’s also established himself as a high-volume shooter, recording a team-high 9.05 shots per 60 that puts him among the league's best during this 18-game stretch, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

“You look at his goals, I mean, he can release that puck… as good as anyone in this league, at a young age,” said Columbus Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent.

Over this last month and a half, Fantilli’s rockstar ability has been on full display.

“He’s got a swagger about him,” Vincent said. “He feels he deserves to be in this league and he feels that he can make a difference in this league. He can skate. He’s big. Very mature. But I think his mindset is the biggest difference maker.”

And his mindset is what also allowed him to stay grounded amid the early season struggles. Fantilli, an elite top-tier player for his entire life heading into this year, never lost his confidence throughout his early season struggles.

“I’m 19 and playing in the NHL — it’s going to be tough and you’re going to go through those lulls where you don’t get a point for 10 games or whatever,” Fantilli said. “It’s all part of the learning process. Learning how to get yourself out of those slumps is what’s going to help me produce more consistently down the road.”

So is doing the little, non-sexy, things. The intangibles. Like being engaged physically. Which Fantilli has had no trouble doing.

“Physical to me isn’t only giving body checks but [also] putting himself in a vulnerable position to make the next play,” Vincent said.

It’s those little details that Fantilli — alike most prospects — had to master, slowly but surely, in the early goings of the season. Thankfully, there wasn’t national attention on him as he did it. And in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t take much time at all. But now, it’s time to pay attention to the other potential generational talent from the 2023 draft.

“It’s fun to see him grow and we have big expectations for him,” Vincent said.