With the No. 185 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected defenceman Rylan Fellinger from the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.

He is a right-shot defenceman who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 196 pounds. The 18-year-old recordrd seven points (three goals and four assists) in 64 OHL games last season, while going scoreless in five playoff games.

Of note, Fellinger was teammates with fellow Leafs prospects Sam McCue and Blake Smith, which is possibly how the towering blueliner ended up on the Leafs’ radar. Fellinger was attending his high school prom when the Leafs drafted him, the team confirmed via Arun Srinivasan of The Leafs Nation.

Fellinger is the first defenceman that the Leafs took in the 2025 NHL Draft, as their previous four picks were all forwards. Toronto previously selected Tinus Luc Kolbar with the No. 64 pick, then selected Tyler Hopkins with the No. 86 overall pick. William Belle was selected at No. 137, before Harry Nansi was taken at No. 153 overall. GM Brad Treliving and director of scouting Mark Leach were emphasizing finding forward depth with real upside throughout the second day of the draft, while also looking for the best player available.

Meanwhile, the pick of Fellinger in the sixth round is likely their way of taking a bet on the raw tools while hoping that the other elements of his game round into form. An ideal outcome would be similar to Noah Chadwick’s path, whom Toronto took in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft and took a major step in his development in the following season to earn an entry-level contract. Toronto also selected defenceman Ben Danford with its first-round pick in 2024, a physical stay-at-home defenceman who throws punishing hits in the open ice.

Whether that ends up happening for Fellinger remains to be seen, but he will certainly get his chances to continue developing with the Firebirds next season.