Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NHL draft, could easily let all the hype go to his head. Instead, he chooses to stay grounded. McKenna opened up about the mindset he plans to carry into his rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

McKenna grew up in Whitehorse, Yukon, and credited the place for his upbringing, along with his parents. For him, staying humble was never optional in his house.

"I think for me, my family did a good job at that. My parents are both very smart humans, and they're both athletes. So they've kind of shown me how to do it. And I think that's something I'll try and carry with me forever," said McKenna at at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Chicago.

That lesson stuck with McKenna well before hockey turned him into star.

"You never want to be that guy who's known for having an ego or being cocky," McKenna said on Wednesday at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Chicago as per ESPN. 

For the young player walking into the most criticized market in hockey, and to stay grounded is not easy. It definitely doesn’t help with the pressure that comes with being the top pick on top of that.

"Growing up in a small community, you've got a lot of supporters," McKenna said. "So everyone there kind of knows me in a way. And for me, I want to lead by example and be a good role model for the kids and even the adults."

McKenna also wishes to be a role model back home. Growing up in a small community means everyone knows him, and he wants to set an example for everyone watching from the Yukon.

This mindset explains why McKenna downplays his fame even as expectations grow around him.

He signed a three-year entry-level contract after just one standout season at Penn State. This was where he finished second in the NCAA in points per game. 

Toronto is now expecting him to compete for a top-six role immediately, but McKenna insists that all this attention wont change him.

Learning from Celebrini: How elite training reinforces McKenna's grounded approach

Apart from working on staying focused, McKenna’s also training his play alongside Macklin Celebrini, the 2024 No. 1 pick now with the San Jose Sharks.

According to the NHL, the two have been training together in Vancouver, pushing each other to their maximum level in every session. McKenna, in some weeks, has been on the ice for as many as 17 hours,  with an intense pace.

Celebrini sets McKenna a realistic benchmark for what the elite players play like.

Just last season, Celebrini finished with 115 points, the 4th highest total in the NHL. He also signed a five-year, $94 million contract with the Sharks this offseason.

When speaking on their time off the ice, McKenna was realistic about it.

“I think we just tried to be normal people with each other,” he said. “Sometimes when you’re grinding and stuff, you kind of want to step away from the game and just be normal people and just talk. He was awesome to be around, and I think I learned a lot from how hard he works to where I kind of got to get. I think it’s all been good for me.” 

This kind of balance between working hard and staying grounded could be a task as he heads into the training camp soon.

What do you think of Gavin McKenna's humble approach as he enters the NHL? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit