The Toronto Maple Leafs’ newest defenseman might have the best draft night story in the entire class. Blue liner Ryan Fellinger told his story to the media at Leafs’ development camp on Thursday.
“So I was actually at prom,” Fellinger said when explaining his unique draft night experience. “He (his friend) had the draft going, I wasn’t too focused on it. I just wanted to clear my mind a little bit.”
“The Leafs were up next and I saw my name and I was just going crazy. I couldn’t even believe it. I was just like running around. People- I think- might’ve thought I was crazy or something.”
Fellinger says despite the grandiose announcement, he still wasn’t named Prom King. He went on to say the rest of the night was a blur, and that his date might’ve been more excited than him. Fellinger then spoke on the decision to attend prom despite the schedule conflict with the draft.
“I was iffy, but I still wanted to see all my childhood friends. They’ve been with me since the start. They’ve always had my back and I really wanted to spend the day with them,” Fellinger said. “To celebrate with them was an unreal experience.”
The 18-yer-old from Wawa, Ontario says he grew up a Leafs fan and concluded with an anecdote about his father shedding tears of joy on draft night.
Ryan Fellinger Scouting Report
First and foremost, Fellinger is NHL size. He measures in just a touch below six-foot-four, weighing 200 pounds with plenty of room to add weight. He was selected with the 185th overall pick in the sixth round. He comes by way of the OHL Flint Flames.
“Rylan Fellinger is a physically mature, stay-at-home right-shot defenseman with size that matches NHL standards,” read NeutralZone.com’s scouting report. “At 6’3”, 200 pounds, he already carries the frame of a pro blueliner and plays a reserved, defense-first game. Fellinger’s role in Flint has been limited to third-pairing and penalty kill usage, with virtually no power play time or offensive zone sheltering, averaging just 9 seconds of PP time per game.”
He plays it safe, completing 88 percent of his passes in last year’s 64 game season. He averaged only 2.5 giveaways per game, while accounting for nearly 5.0 takeaways. He wins puck battles and steps in front of shots.
Fellinger Considered Project
As of right now, it appears the 18-year-old has his work cut out for him before he joins the team in Toronto. He is considered an AHL contributor, where his puck skills and skating need to develop before he becomes an NHL ready prospect.
“If an organization values size, defensive reliability, and projects upside in a structured system with strong player development resources, Fellinger may warrant a late-round selection,” Neutral Zone’s scouting report continued. “However, his limited puck skills, average skating, and narrow role make him a long-term project with a capped ceiling. If undrafted, he should be tracked as a potential AHL contributor.”
However, as a high character, hometown kid, Fellinger provides an easy story to root for as he climbs the NHL ranks.
Maple Leafs Drafted Defenseman While He Was At Prom, Still Wasn’t Named ‘Prom King’