The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Ryan O’Connell with their last pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He is a defender who shoots left, and he’s a college boy who plays for Boston University. He is from Gloucester, Ontario, however, and played for St. Andrew’s College.
This is a smart way to go for the last round. O’Connell has got four years to play in the NCAA at a good school before anyone has to make a decision about his future.
Unlike the other defenders taken after the first round pick, Timothy Liljegren, O’Connell is not a giant.