Toronto Maple Leafs top pick Gavin McKenna joins high‑profile NHL rookie class

Gavin McKenna has been selected as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first‑overall pick in the NHL draft, placing the 18‑year‑old left‑winger from the Yukon in one of the league’s most intense markets.

McKenna, who starred at Penn State before the draft lottery sent him to Toronto, will join a core that includes captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies and veteran centre John Tavares. He will live with Tavares and his family for the season, a move the former Islander hopes will help the youngster cope with the heightened scrutiny.

San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini, the No 1 pick in 2024, noted that the attention in Toronto can be both a “blessing and a curse”, while Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer praised the Leafs’ group and the learning opportunities from senior players.

The Maple Leafs are undergoing a regime change after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, with new coaches and a roster overhaul aimed at returning to contention. McKenna is already being tipped as a rookie‑of‑the‑year favourite.

Other notable prospects in the draft class include Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, selected by the Sharks, and Philadelphia’s recent addition Martone, a 6‑foot‑3, 214‑pound forward who has already contributed points in the playoffs.

Source: ABC News. Photo: İrfan Simsar / Pexels.