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To some, being drafted with the last pick in the NHL draft doesn’t mean much. The odds of a 7th-round pick playing games in the NHL are slim, let alone the final selection. Maple Leafs prospect Nathan Mayes has decided to embrace being drafted by Toronto, not letting his draft position dictate anything.
Toronto selected Mayes with the final and 225th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. It was a selection acquired from the Florida Panthers as part of a pick swap, that afforded the Maple Leafs a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for a 2024 second-rounder.
For the past two days, the Maple Leafs have held their 2024 development camp at the Ford Performance Centre, where they’ve invited 46 players — 27 forwards, 15 defensemen and four goalies. During the development camp, Mayes spoke to the media and had some positive things to say despite being the last pick of the draft.
TSN’s Mark Masters asked the 18-year-old if he knew much about the ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ term, notably used in the NFL, given he was selected last in this year’s draft.
“I’ve definitely heard some and even saw some comments on that post, but obviously, it’s irrelevant where I’m picked,” Mayes said. “I’m just going to make the best of it and run with it.”
“I thought it was over”@spokanechiefs d-man Nathan Mayes “super relieved” when Leafs made him 225th & final pick in draft
Saw comments about being Mr. Irrelevant
“It’s irrelevant where I’m picked. I’m just going to make the best of it & run with it”https://t.co/bX6S1xMzjy
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) July 4, 2024
Mayes wrapped up his first full season with the Spokane, playing in 68 games, scoring one goal and adding 15 assists for 16 points, which ranked fourth among defensemen in points on his team. The 6-foot-4 blue liner spent some time in the CSSHL (Canadian Sport School Hockey League) U18 league during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, playing in a combined 26 games, registering 14 points — three goals and 11 assists before this past season.
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
| 2021-22 WHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 WHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 WHL | 68 | 1 | 15 | 16 |
Whether you’re a 1st-round pick or a 7th-round pick, the road to the NHL can be long and it takes a lot of hard work and determination. Mayes joins a lengthy list of players to be selected with the last overall pick in the draft, but the list of how many of them made the NHL is even shorter.
Since the 1979 NHL entry draft, only 11 players have played in the NHL, and out of those 11, six have played 100 or more games, four being defensemen:
1979: Blair Barnes (RW) – 1 GP
1980: Andy Brickley (LW) – 385 GP
1987: Igor Vyazmikin (LW) – 4 GP
1988: Sergei Priakin (RW) – 46 GP
1993: Hans Jonsson (D) – 242 GP
1994: Kim Johnsson (D) – 739 GP
1997: Jay Henderson (LW) – 33 GP
2002: Jonathan Ericsson (D) – 680 GP
2005: Patric Hornqvist (RW) – 901 GP
2010: Zach Trotman (D) – 91 GP
2014: Jacob Middleton (D) – 239 GP, active
The journey is just starting for Mayes, who has embraced and enjoyed every moment since being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the draft. The physical blue liner will continue the Maple Leafs’ development camp with the other prospects and invites before returning to Spokane for another season.
(Stats from Hockeydb.com)
