Maple Leafs' Plans for Gavin McKenna Emerge After NHL Draft

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman outlined Toronto’s aggressive plan for No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna ahead of his rookie season.

by Antonio Losada

Jun 30, 2026

Gavin McKenna puts on a sweater beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Timothy T&period; Ludwig-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t have to wait long to make their biggest offseason move, selecting Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday.

Although the decision was as chalky as possible considering McKenna's status as the best prospect of the 2026 class, it immediately raised questions about how quickly the franchise plans to use, and how they'll do so, its newest cornerstone.

According to the earliest reports following the draft, everything points toward what one would expect from a No. 1 pick.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, speaking on Monday's "Donnie and Dhali" show, said Toronto isn't thinking about easing McKenna into the NHL.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ first overall pick of the NHL 2026 Draft Gavin McKenna looks on before an MLB game.

Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Friedman reported that, instead of bringing McKenna slowly into the professional game, the Leafs are envisioning an immediate role for the rookie alongside captain Auston Matthews on the team's top forward line.

“Like, tomorrow? Or yesterday? Yesterday?” Friedman said when asked how soon McKenna could contribute to the Leafs. “I mean, obviously, he’s gonna make the team. Barring something really strange happening, he’s gonna make the team. And I think he’s gonna play. And I think they want him to play with Auston Matthews as quickly as they can, to give it a shot and see how it looks.”

The expectation, according to Friedman, is that McKenna will make the roster out of training camp and step directly into a significant role within the team’s top six, likely as the Leafs' top left winger alongside Matthews and Easton Cowan.

Friedman went as far as suggesting a potential role on the Leafs' power play from day one, hinting at Toronto's readiness to deal with some early growing pains in exchange for maximizing McKenna’s offensive impact.

“I think he could be a first-power-play guy right away,” Friedman said. “He’s gonna be like every other rookie. He’s gonna have his growing pains. But he’s gonna play, and he’s a talent.”

McKenna arrives in Toronto after producing 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games at Penn State, the fifth-most points in the NCAA last season.