Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Even before the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him as the No.1 overall pick for the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna wanted to land with the team. Now that his dream has come true, McKenna knows he is headed in the right direction, given the warm welcome he received.
On July 8, the Maple Leafs YouTube channel posted a video of McKenna after he was drafted, and all the veterans lined up to pour in their congratulatory messages.
“I had [John] Tavares, [William] Nylander, [Max] Domi and [Auston] Matthews all reach out to me, and they're excited,” he said in the interview. “I'm obviously excited. They just said their congrats, and can't wait to meet you, and can’t wait to play with you, and just enjoy it all.”
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna puts on a sweater beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna puts on a sweater beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
McKenna was 11-years-old when John Tavares started playing for the Leafs in 2018. So, he has grown up seeing these players.
The veteran has experienced the spotlight from an early age. He emerged as the best player in Ontario's youth hockey circuit, competed 18 months above his age group, received the first exceptional status designation in Canadian Hockey League history, and enjoyed a successful major junior career.
Similarly, Auston Matthews went through a similar path 10 years ago. In that case, he, too, is aware of the pressure that comes with the role and advised McKenna to cherish the present.
“I think that's what I'm trying to do,” said McKenna in the same interview. “I'm trying to take that advice. You only get to go through it once. So trying to take it all in and just be here, be where my feet are, and enjoy the moment.”
McKenna signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday, July 3, a week after Justin Bieber announced his name on the stage as the Maple Leafs’ No.1 pick.
However, with the warm welcome comes lofty expectations.
The Story Behind Gavin McKenna's No. 92 Jersey
Even before hitting the ice for Toronto, McKenna has already left his mark by ceding the No. 72 jersey for goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. His other preferred numbers, No. 9 has been retired by Toronto in honor of Ted Kennedy and Charlie Conacher, and No. 27 for Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler.
“My two other ones are taken,” said McKenna to the reporters, as posted by the Leafs' YouTube channel on July 3. “They’re up in the rafters. So I'll have to think about it.”
As he decided to wear No. 92 jersey, he sought permission from the player who wore it, Jeff o’Neill.
“Last night I got a FaceTime after dinner. Gavin asked if it was cool if he wore the [92] number. I said, ‘It’s the only way to go son. LFG,’” O’Neill wrote on X July 4.
McKenna will take over No. 92, joining Jeff O'Neil, Igor Ozhiganov, and Alexander Nylander as the only Maple Leafs players to have worn the jersey number.
What do you think of McKenna’s addition to the Maple Leafs’ roster? Let us know in the comments.
Read more at NHL Fan Central.
Written by
Soheli Tarafdar
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar