Wawa native and former Soo Jr. Greyhounds defender Rylan Fellinger is a late-round long shot who became an OHL regular

Rylan Fellinger, a Wawa native and former Soo Jr. Greyhounds defender, is a prime example of a late-round draft pick who defied expectations and became a regular in the OHL. There’s a prevailing belief among those familiar with the game that a player’s draft position doesn’t necessarily predict their success in the Ontario Hockey League.

Two standout examples of late-round OHL picks who have gone on to become regulars are Fellinger (born 2007), a defenceman for the Flint Firebirds, and Noah Morneau (born 2004), a forward for the Windsor Spitfires.

Fellinger’s journey is particularly remarkable. He was selected as a distant 13th-round pick by Flint in the 2023 OHL draft, where he was the fourth defenceman from the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) to be picked. Out of the three defenders drafted ahead of him, two were his teammates on the Soo Jr. Greyhounds at the time. Despite his late selection, Fellinger made an immediate impact, playing in 130 OHL games across two seasons. After making the team in 2023, he continued as a full-time defenceman for Flint during the 2024-2025 season. Remarkably, Fellinger has played more than double the amount of OHL games as any other player from the NOHA selected in 2023. The only other NOHA player to become a regular in the OHL from that draft is forward Hudson Chitaroni, who played 65 games for the Sudbury Wolves. The other defenders drafted from the NOHA ahead of Fellinger—Declan Gallivan, Candon O’Neill, and Alexandre Valade—have seen limited or no OHL action so far.

Morneau’s story is another example of a player who exceeded expectations despite being drafted late. In the 2020 OHL draft, the Windsor Spitfires selected Morneau in the 15th round, 294th overall, while also drafting highly-touted center Ryan Abraham in the first round (14th overall). Over time, Morneau’s development outpaced Abraham’s. By the 2024-2025 season, Morneau had become one of the Spitfires’ top players, finishing the season with 32 goals, 41 assists, and 73 points in 68 regular season games. He continued to impress in the playoffs, contributing another 11 goals and 17 points in 12 games. In comparison, Abraham, while a steady point producer throughout his OHL career, finished his time with Windsor with 29 goals, 37 assists, and 66 points in 66 regular season games.

Looking ahead, Windsor has added two more late-round draft picks who might follow in the footsteps of Fellinger and Morneau. Luke St. John, a 13th-round pick in 2025, was a standout defender for the Windsor Jr. Spitfires U16 team in 2024-2025, posting 14 goals and 27 points in 35 games. Ty Dubreuil, a 14th-round pick the same year, was a productive forward for the North Bay Under 16 Trappers, recording 17 goals and 34 points in 32 games. Dubreuil is known for his speed, skill, hockey IQ, and strong defensive play.

Both St. John and Dubreuil have the opportunity to follow the example set by Spitfires general manager Billy Bowler, who was also a late-round draft pick (13th round in 1991) before becoming an OHL star. Bowler went on to play 250 regular season games for the Spitfires, scoring 149 goals, 318 assists, and setting a Windsor franchise record of 467 points.

In short, being a late-round draft pick is no longer seen as an obstacle to OHL success, as these players have shown. It’s proof that with talent, hard work, and determination, players can defy the odds and make a mark in the league.