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Toronto Maple Leafs select Ryan O’Connell with 203rd overall pick

By Chris Okrainetz

June 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty-one first round selections in the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
June 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty-one first round selections in the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted defenceman Ryan O’Connell with their final pick of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Improving the blue line seemed to be an area of focus for the Toronto Maple Leafs during this draft and they added one more defenceman with their final pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, selecting Ryan O’Connell 203rd overall.

O’Connell is a left-handed shot defenceman and is committed to Boston University, where he will pursue an engineering degree. Hailing from Gloucester, Ontario, O’Connell attended St. Andrew’s College and played AAA hockey for the Ottawa junior 67’s.

The NHL Central Scouting ranked O’Connell as the 208th skater in North America, so he went right around where you would expect. The 6-foot, 170 pound prospect is a long-term prospect and will likely have a tough time cracking the Leafs’ roster in the future, but four years at a good school like BU should do him well.

Next: Leafs select Timothy Liljegren with 17th overall pick

What do you think about Ryan O’Connell? Do you think he will ever make the Toronto Maple Leafs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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