Gavin McKenna Watch: No. 1 pick, Maple Leafs continue western trip
Forward will travel to Calgary, Seattle, Vancouver to end four-game swing
By Adam Kimelman
NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Draft, has taken the NHL by storm just a few weeks into his professional career. Each Monday, NHL.com will take a look at what McKenna has done and what’s ahead for him with the Gavin McKenna Watch.
WHAT HE'S DONE
McKenna began the week scoring his first NHL game-winning goal in the Maple Leafs' 3-1 victory against the San Jose Sharks on Monday. In his first game against the No. 2 pick of the 2026 draft, Sharks forward Ivar Stenberg, McKenna showcased his quick hands to skate the puck to the net and score on the power play at 4:56 of the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie.
He had two shots on goal in 12:58 of ice time in 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, then had an assist on Kirill Marchenko's power-play goal at 19:09 of the second period in a 5-4 win against the New York Rangers on Thursday. McKenna poked a puck away from Rangers captain J.T. Miller, set himself in the left corner, and bounced a pass off the boards to Marchenko. As McKenna skated through the crease, he pulled Rangers defenseman Marcus Pettersson with him, leaving Marchenko a lane to shoot through.
McKenna finished his week with an assist in 11:29 of ice time in a 7-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He knocked down a pass by Oilers defenseman Ty Emberson in the defensive zone and found Vinni Lettieri in the neutral zone. Lettieri scored the game's final goal, and the Maple Leafs extended their winning streak to four.
WHAT'S AHEAD THIS WEEK
The Maple Leafs' western road trip continues at the Calgary Flames on Monday (8:30 p.m. ET; SN+); a win would give them their longest streak since they won five straight to close the 2024-25 season. Next they visit the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET, Prime Video, KONG, KING, SNO), followed by McKenna's first game at the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SNO, SNW, SNP), the closest NHL team to his hometown of Whitehorse, Yukon.
MOST INTRIGUING MATCHUP
McKenna vs. Calgary
This will be McKenna's first game in Calgary as an NHL player, but he's no stranger to Scotiabank Saddledome. He played there eight times during his three seasons with Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League and had 10 points (four goals, six assists). His final regular-season WHL game was in Calgary, and the first of his two goals held up as the game-winner in a 5-2 victory March 23, 2025. He also had an assist to finish with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games.
MOST ANTICIPATED GAME
Saturday vs. Vancouver Canucks
If the Canucks wear their black skate jersey, it might look familiar to McKenna because he wore a very similar jersey when he played for the BC Junior Canucks at the 2017 Brick Hockey Invitational Tournament, a team that also featured Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel and Dallas Stars forward prospect Cameron Schmidt. As a 9-year-old, McKenna finished tied for third among all players with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in six games, though the BC Junior Canucks lost the championship game 2-1 in overtime to a Toronto Bulldogs team led by future Sharks forward Michael Misa.
EDGE STATS OF THE WEEK
McKenna's quickness remains the top element of his game, with his 23.34 mph top speed coming in the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 8, ranking in the 98th percentile among forwards. His 29 speed bursts between 20-22 mph places him in the 91st percentile at his position. His mid-range shooting also is becoming a dangerous factor. His two goals from that area put him in the 96th percentile, and his 25.0 percent shooting percentage ranks him in the 82nd percentile. McKenna's shot speed also is growing. He had his fifth shot at 74 mph or faster in the second period against the Rangers (74.76 mph), his third-fastest of the season. For all McKenna NHL EDGE stats, click here).
THEY SAID IT
"We did it in college, and then if someone did something cool, or if they're a beauty, then you do that. I started doing it here with the guys and it's pretty cool to see it catch on." -- McKenna on his goal celebration, a double-pump wave with his left arm, which has been adopted by some of his Maple Leafs teammates, including Auston Matthews and Easton Cowan.
