Toronto Maple Leafs 2017 NHL Draft Retrospective

Seventh Pick

Ryan O’Connell was the Leafs’ final pick in 2017 at 203rd overall in the seventh round.

It was also the final pick for Mark Hunter with the team as he would return to the London Knights ahead of the 2018 NHL Draft. 

O’Connell played his draft year with St. Andrew’s College where he was the highest scoring defenseman on the team by points per game with 33 in 47.

He was seen as a sound two-way defender with good mobility and the stats showed some promise.

He was also a commit to the prestigious Boston University program in the NCAA. However, he joined the BCHL’s Penticton Vees for a year and then opted to join Ohio State instead. There, spent four years before joining Michigan Tech for a fifth year.

All-in-all he scored 28 points in 152 games which even as a defender is a very low rate of production.

Unsurprisingly, the Leafs let his rights expire and he went to the French third division to play this past year. 

His NHL aspirations seem almost nonexistent at this point and might not even be a playing professional hockey in a few years.