Rylan Fellinger, a 19-year-old right-shooting defender out of the OHL, just landed at number 25 on the highly anticipated Top 25 Under 25 list, and folks, this kid is proving everyone wrong already. He was completely unranked coming out of the draft last year, tagged with that infamous “Large Adult Son” label, but if you look at his play, you know that title does not stick.
Forget the Label: This Kid is a Defensive Beast
Let’s be real: when you hear “Large Adult Son,” you think of a player picked purely for size. The Maple Leafs made a whole thing of it in 2025, taking mostly guys 6’3″ or taller. Fellinger, standing at a towering 6’4″ and 196 lbs, was the tallest of the bunch, a right-shooting defender drafted at pick 185. But his coaches, his teammates, and anyone who actually watches him play know it’s about way more than his frame. Born and raised in Wawa, he’s the youngest of three brothers, all defenders, who came up through the Soo Greyhounds system. When he joined the Flint Firebirds in the OHL, he put up just 11 points in 130 regular season and playoff games up until last year. But listen, if you are looking at points for Fellinger, you are missing the entire point of his game.
Coaches Knew It: Defensive Instincts That Break Games
Fellinger quickly jumped into a regular second-pair role with Flint, and it wasn’t because of his offensive prowess. He was relied upon heavily defensively right from his draft year. His coaches saw it immediately: this kid understands the game at a high level and is incredibly reliable on the back end. We are talking about defensive instincts, a sharp understanding of gaps, and skating skills that simply do not show up on a scoresheet. What’s even more impressive is how much his defensive game has improved just in the last year. He is aggressive with his skating and stick work, disrupting zone entries and then smoothly playing the puck up the ice for his forwards. He was a force in those playoff games against Owen Sound and Windsor, and his development has been unreal.
The Maple Leafs took a chance on Fellinger, following their trend of late-round defense prospects with size and skating, and it looks like they found a gem. This is a player whose most important contributions happen off the scoresheet, and that’s why he probably gets less credit than he deserves. Keep an eye on Fellinger; he is just getting started, and his defensive game is already next level.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
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