Maple Leafs Aren’t Planning to Rush Gavin McKenna

The Toronto Maple Leafs won the draft lottery, won the right to select first overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and selected Gavin McKenna with the pick. There was some speculation they may take Ivar Stenberg, but he fell to second to the San Jose Sharks.

The Maple Leafs, who are coming off a disastrous 2025-26 campaign, are hoping to get back into the playoff picture this season, and adding an incredible prospect to their lineup could help them do just that.

McKenna, who is just 18 years old, played last season with Penn State Univeristy in the NCAA, where he scored 15 goals and added 36 assists for 51 points through 35 games.

Before making the jump to the NCAA, McKenna exploded offensively with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In the 2023-24 season, he scored 34 goals and added 63 assists for 97 points through 61 games. In the 2024-25 season, he scored 41 goals and added 88 assists for 129 points through 56 games.

Over the course of the offseason, fans begun to wonder if the Maple Leafs would put McKenna alongside Auston Matthews out of the gates, but in recent days, that idea was shut down.

Maple Leafs Easing McKenna Into Lineup

In a recent segment of TSN’s Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun explained that the Maple Leafs plan to ease McKenna into their lineup, rather than put him into their top-six forward group right away.

It seems inevitable that he will move up quickly, but as head coach Jim Hiller said in a press conference recently, he wants to make sure they are putting McKenna, and everyone else on their roster, in the best positions to succeed.

What Could Things Look Like Out of the Gates?

The Maple Leafs added some forward depth in free agency this offseason, so they have some flexibility to move things around and figure out what works.

McKenna starting the season on the third line, alongside Colton Sissons and Nick Paul, could make a lot of sense. Moving Easton Cowan into their top-six forward group out of the gates gives him a fair chance at proving he belongs higher in the lineup, and can handle an increased role.

If McKenna adapts quickly, which he is expected to do, it seems possible that they could move McKenna up, and Jack Roslovic down. Roslovic, who spent last season with the Edmonton Oilers, has proven to be an effective player that can play anywhere he is needed in a lineup.

That wouldn’t be a demotion for Roslovic, who joined the Maple Leafs in free agency this summer, but more of the team moving around their assets and spreading out the offensive production. If Roslovic can find a way to be consistent in their bottom-six forward group, the Maple Leafs could have a strong offensive year all-around.

McKenna Has High Expectations

Any first overall pick has high expectations coming into their rookie season, but playing in Toronto might bring them even higher.

We saw what Auston Matthews did, and has been able to do, with the Maple Leafs right away, and fans will immediately compare the two and how they perform.

This approach by the Maple Leafs, which is to ease McKenna into the lineup and not rush him into a bigger role out of the gates, should help him get comfortable with the speed of the NHL quickly.

If not, they have time to be patient with him, but the expectation is that he will pick things up quickly and be a producer for them right away.

As the 2026-27 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.