Expected Top-Three Pick in the 2023 Draft Ejected After an Illegal Check to the Head

Adam Fantilli, the consensus number 2 pick after Connor Bedard in this year's draft, was ejected from an IIHF World Championship game after an illegal hit.

Adam Fantilli Ejected After an Illegal Check to the Head

In Canada's game against Norway today, tensions were rising throughout the game. With Canada down 2-1, phenom Adam Fantilli decided he would try and energize his team by laying a massive hit on a Norwegian player.

However, Fantilli made head contact and was shortly ejected afterward.



While the hit looks rather harmless and the head contact unavoidable, the IIHF takes head contact far more seriously and they ejected Fantilli for this. This play is likely just a minor penalty in the NHL if anything but because the IIHF takes player safety that seriously, many have been ejected for less.

While he probably will not be suspended, it hurts Canada that one of their most skilled players will not be in the game anymore. This should not affect the projected number two pick much given how he did not get hurt and a play like this will not affect his draft stock at all.