Auston Matthews shared his early impressions of Gavin McKenna and raved about the Maple Leafs rookie. Matthews expressed excitement about being able to play with McKenna and believes the Leafs are getting a special player.
The Leafs selected McKenna 1st overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, which carries high expectations. Matthews is no stranger to that pressure. He also went through the same experience in 2016, when he was also selected 1st overall by the Leafs.
Matthews has spent some time getting to know McKenna ahead of the upcoming NHL season and has been impressed so far. McKenna and Matthews are expected to play together at some point this season, particularly on the power play. The Leafs rookie is known for his playmaking ability, which will help create more opportunities for a pure scorer like Matthews.
Auston Matthews Praises Maple Leafs Rookie Gavin McKenna
Auston Matthews heaped praise on Gavin McKenna, who is preparing for his rookie season with the Maple Leafs. Matthews believes McKenna will make a smooth transition to the NHL and offered to support him when needed.
“I think for [McKenna], we’re obviously so excited to have him, he’s a special player. He’s a special person. It’s awesome to get to spend some time with him [and] get to know him. And he’s going to be an incredible player in this league and he’s going to do a lot of great things for this team, this organization,” Matthews said in an interview with the Maple Leafs’ digital team.
He continued:
“From all of our standpoints, from guys that have been around for a little bit, guys like myself and Johnny [Tavares] that have been in similar positions as him. I mean, [you] just try to support him as much as you can. There’s no how-to-do-it book that we can just pass to him and say, ‘Here, listen to all of this.’ You’re going to go through experiences
Matthews Explains What McKenna is Going Through in First Leafs Training Camp
Matthews also explained what McKenna is going through in his first NHL training camp. He admitted that the first training camp can be nerve-wracking, particularly because players do not know what to expect.
The Leafs captain compared it to his own experience, saying that there is a learning curve. However, Matthews noted that the main goal for McKenna is to get familiar with the organization.
“I remember my draft year and my summer. It was really hectic,” Matthews told the Maple Leafs’ digital team. “You’re going everywhere, from the combine to the Finals, Draft, development camp, all this stuff that comes with it. And I think it’s just been good for [McKenna] to be here these last couple of weeks and just settle in, get to meet all the guys, get to be around the staff, coaches, all that stuff, so you can just kind of feel acquainted once the season gets started.”
Auston Matthews Drops High Praise on Maple Leafs Rookie Gavin McKenna