Top prospect Gavin McKenna says it would be 'pretty cool' and a huge honour to be selected No. 1 overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs and he’s already hearing great things about life in the biggest hockey market in the world.
It’s been over three weeks since the Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery for the right to pick first at the 2026 NHL Draft. And one of the potential selections has weighed in.
Gavin McKenna, the dynamic forward widely projected as the top prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft, sat down with TSN’s broadcast of the Memorial Cup tournament on Wednesday evening and the conversation naturally turned toward the possibility of McKenna donning the blue and white next June.
When asked if he had contemplated what it would be like to be selected first overall by the Leafs, the 18-year-old didn’t hesitate.
“That would be pretty cool. I would be very honoured,” McKenna said, speaking calmly while wearing a backward white cap. “It’s the biggest hockey market in the world, so that’d be pretty cool. I’d be very honoured and I hear good things about Toronto. Talked to some people and it sounds like an amazing place.”
Earlier in the interview, McKenna outlined what he believes he can bring to whichever team ultimately calls his name.
“I think I can bring some excitement,” he explained. “I’m a pretty offensive player and pretty smart. I could make plays and make the players around me better. I’m confident in my abilities and I’m excited to hopefully make that jump and start next season.”
The segment took a lighter turn when TSN’s Jeff O’Neill offered to serve as McKenna’s Toronto mentor should the Leafs draft him, having been a Leafs alumnus.
McKenna took the banter in stride, smiling through the exchange as the panel laughed around him.
For Leafs fans desperate for a difference-maker after years of playoff disappointment, McKenna represents an intriguing fit. His ability to elevate linemates and generate offence aligns with what the organization has long sought. Toronto’s first-overall selection would mark a rare opportunity to add a high-end talent without surrendering significant assets, something the franchise has not done since selecting Auston Matthews in 2016.
Whether Toronto ultimately selects him or not, McKenna’s composed handling of the Leafs question suggests he can take things in stride.