The Toronto Maple Leafs finalized the rookie contract for Gavin McKenna on Friday, answering the question of how much the No. 1 overall pick from the 2026 NHL Draft will earn in his first NHL season.
McKenna signed a three-year entry-level contract, the standard structure for top prospects under the NHL’s collective bargaining rules, getting the maximum base salary of $3.225 million allowed by the CBA.
The base salaries are split into $1.025 million in year one, $1.075 million in year two, and $1.125 million in year three. However, the full value of the deal is significantly higher when bonuses are factored in.
According to The Athletic's Chris Johnston, McKenna’s contract includes up to $1 million annually in Schedule A performance bonuses and an additional $2.5 million per year in Schedule B bonuses.
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Schedule A bonuses are individual/team-based milestones, typically worth $250,000 each (up to a max of $1M total, with a maximum of 4 categories). Schedule B bonuses are higher-value, league-wide achievements worth up to $2.5M if triggered. They usually require major individual success, such as winning awards or finishing high in scoring categories.
If all incentives in McKenna's deal are reached, his total earnings could rise well beyond his base salary to reach a potential $13.725 million.
The deal also carries important implications, albeit unlikely, for McKenna beyond salary. By signing the contract, the No. 1 pick is no longer eligible to return to the NCAA, meaning his only options for next season are joining the Maple Leafs to play in the NHL or being moved to the AHL's Toronto Marlies before making the jump.
All indications suggest Toronto intends to keep him at the NHL level, and even plans to use him in the top line alongside captain Auston Matthews.
McKenna enters the league after a dominant run through junior and college hockey, coming off scoring 129 points in a single WHL season (56 games) with Medicine Hat before adding 51 points in 35 games at Penn State last year.
