'Not Too Butthurt About It': Gavin McKenna Reacts To Being Bumped Off Maple Leafs' First Power-Play Unit

Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna was on the top power-play unit in the absence of star forwards such as Kirill Marchenko and John Tavares.

However, with Tavares returning to practice full-time and in a regular practice jersey, McKenna was taken off the top unit for the veteran.

This wasn't the first time that Tavares took back his power-play spot from McKenna. Earlier in the season, Tavares was absent for Toronto's contest against the Colorado Avalanche for the birth of his fourth child, and the rookie was thrown on that unit with the top dogs.

Despite all that, it has not been a big issue for McKenna, who is still getting his feet wet in the NHL.

"I'm 18 years old," he said after Friday's practice. "There's a lot of guys in this team who've been in this league for a long time and know how to play that power play."

Though his opportunity takes a little bit of a hit, as well as his ice time without the responsibility of being on the top unit. However, the youngster has a positive outlook and perspective on the situation.

"I think when you see a guy like John come on and take your spot, you're not too butthurt about it. So I think he's obviously very smart. And for me, even being on a second power play in the NHL, that feels pretty good."

In all 17 games this season, McKenna has five goals and six assists for 11 points this year, putting him third in rookie scoring. Three of those goals and eight of those points have come on the power play, making him pretty lethal in that situation.

He ranks sixth on the team in average power-play time per game at 2:32, with his complete average ice time at 13:51 per game.

Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller added his reasoning for the change upon Tavares' likely  return to the lineup.

"Power play has been pretty good for us this year with Gavin and with John, with both of them," he said. "Not quite as good the last couple games. So John's back. We'll put John there, and I think it also if you watch them practice today, the second group, whatever you want to call it, they were moving it pretty good with with Easton and Gavin really kind of controlling that whole power play group. So Easton really or Gavin really becomes a focus on that second group too, where the puck just really runs through him. So that's a that's a good thing too."

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