Adam Fantilli spoke with 11 teams. Leo Carlsson chatted with the same number.

Connor Bedard, meanwhile, didn鈥檛 get specific when asked how many clubs 鈥� 鈥渁 pretty good amount鈥� 鈥� quizzed the presumptive No. 1 overall pick at the NHL scouting combine.

Three players expected to go in the top-5 picks at this month鈥檚 draft were poked, prodded and tested this week as the league鈥檚 32 franchises prepare to select the next wave of talent.

But why would teams speak with players 鈥� Bedard is all but assured of going first to the Chicago Blackhawks, while Fantilli could go as high as No. 2 to the Anaheim Ducks 鈥� they have no realistic hope of selecting?

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 always for right now,鈥� said Fantilli, who sits behind only Bedard on NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 list of North American skaters. 鈥淪ometimes trades could happen down the line, picks could switch. You never know.

鈥淭hey might be doing due diligence for further down the line 鈥� in my career and in theirs.鈥�

Bedard, a 17-year-old 91原创 from North Vancouver, B.C., being mentioned in the same breath as Connor McDavid, enjoyed the banter with general managers and scouting staffs.

鈥淎lways exciting when you can talk to a team of the league you鈥檙e going to be playing in,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can definitely learn some things 鈥� getting to talk to them and building some relationships.鈥�

Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen, whose club is slated to pick third behind Chicago and Anaheim, said every organization has its process.

The interviews and dinners offer insight into the subject, but can also be about getting information on other prospects.

鈥淢aybe some players that he played with on the national team or find out about his character 鈥� just in case,鈥� Kekalainen said of chatting with Bedard. 鈥淵ou never know what happens down the road. We鈥檒l get to know him a little bit, what makes him so good and why he鈥檚 become so good at what he does.鈥�

Colby Barlow, the 12th-ranked North American skater, said there was plenty of talk about draft hopefuls he got to know playing at the world under-18 championship.

鈥淎 lot of that,鈥� he said. 鈥�(About) their personalities and how good all those kids were.鈥�

Kekalainen said he likes it when youngsters pose questions of their own. One exchange with a future three-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner still stands out more than two decades later.

鈥淚 remember Duncan Keith,鈥� Kekalainen said of the two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL鈥檚 best defenceman. 鈥淗e was all about asking questions and finding out how he can get better. I remember that like yesterday.

鈥淐atches your attention.鈥�

Teams also try to throw curveballs at players. The queries weren鈥檛 as off-the-wall as they鈥檝e sometimes been in years past, although the Montreal Canadiens did ask prospects some variation of, 鈥淲hat kind of animal would you be?鈥�

Brayden Yager, the 11th-ranked North American skater, answered 鈥渨olf鈥� before justifying his response.

鈥淎 wolf is in a pack,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 care about my family and my teammates.鈥�

Fantilli, meanwhile, appreciated the glimpse at how nearly a dozen organizations operate 鈥� even if he has a pretty solid understanding of where he鈥檒l be heading June 28.

鈥淕etting in those rooms, feeling it out, getting to know them and (their) views was a really good experience,鈥� he said.

鈥淩eally glad I was able to have that.鈥�

BEDARD TESTS

Fantilli and Carlsson, the top-ranked European skater, skipped some of the off-ice fitness testing, but Bedard was in the middle of the fray wearing his usual No. 98.

While he has little, if anything, to prove, the Canadian Hockey League鈥檚 player of the year felt it was important to partake after his season with the Regina Pats ended in April鈥檚 first round of the playoffs.

鈥淚鈥檝e been off for a while, unfortunately,鈥� Bedard said. 鈥淣ever really a question for myself whether I was gonna (test) or not.鈥�

FAMILIAR NAMES

The sons of former NHLers are peppered throughout every draft, and 2023 will be no different.

Among the prospects poised to be selected in Nashville are Gabriel Perreault (Yanic Perreault), Ethan Gauthier (Denis Gauthier), Oliver Bonk (Radek Bonk) and Cole Knuble (Mike Knuble).

MANN鈥橲 FLASHBACK

Matteo Mann worked the draft floor as a runner at the 2016 event in Buffalo thanks to a family connection.

The son of now-Senators assistant GM Trent Mann has fond memories of scrambling around KeyBank Centre to get whatever Ottawa鈥檚 scouts needed the night Auston Matthews went No. 1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

鈥淚 remember having a lot of blisters,鈥� said the 84th-ranked North American skater. 鈥淚 think it was the first time I wore dress shoes.鈥�