As expected, one of the players generating the most early-season discussion for the Toronto Maple Leafs is Gavin McKenna.
As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna has generated plenty of excitement and remains in the media spotlight.
The Leafs are currently enjoying a positive stretch, having won their last two games, defeating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on October 19 and the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 on Tuesday.
On Thursday, October 22, Nick Alberga and Matt Larkin discussed Gavin McKenna’s current situation and what he’s shown early in the season on the pregame edition of Daily Faceoff’s “The Leafs Morning Take,” ahead of the game against the New York Rangers.
Both hosts agreed they have been impressed by how McKenna has handled the pressure of playing for a franchise like Toronto.
Gavin McKenna’s Start With Maple Leafs ‘Has Been Really Good’
Alberga first said, “On Gavin McKenna, what have you made of the last week? Like Rosie (Jay Rosehill) and I, and others, have been commending how this kid has handled everything, from going first overall, with Justin Bieber announcing Mr. McKenna to the stage, to the benching last week. Like, I think it’s been a really good start, all things considered, for Gavin McKenna in the NHL.”
Larking added, “I think so too, and I think he’s gaining a lot more confidence, especially with the puck, and when you saw the game-winning goal the other day, that individual effort. That’s a play he might not have even tried in his first game, but now he’s kind of understanding, okay, he can hang in this league.”
“And I feel like that was kind of the mental scouting report on McKenna leading up to the draft: that he’s ready for the moment, he can handle it. Kind of reminds me of Auston Matthews that way. If you look at the way Matthews and Mitch Marner, obviously on parallel tracks, handle everything, it was so different, and Matthews took things a lot more in stride.”
“I think I see a lot more of him in the way McKenna’s handling things. And I think to me what’s most impressive is, okay, McKenna’s got this big adjustment. He’s under the big spotlight playing here, of course.”
Larkin also highlighted how McKenna handled being benched by head coach Jim Hiller in recent days.
He said, “And Jim Hiller with this unforced error last week where he forgot to put McKenna back in the game. He lost, and it created a media surge of attention, right? Yeah, and that’s just more kind of smothering talk and pressure and attention on McKenna, and it rolled off his back. So to me, that’s a crucial test that he passed.”
Alberga added, “Especially in a market like this one, and I love the sass that McKenna has shown in the media a bit, always liking to bring up the fact that, you know, it’s like the Toronto media getting on me for this and that. He just shrugs it off, and I think you need that type of demeanor if you’re going to have success in this market (…) I’ve been really, really impressed with his maturation.”
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