Gavin McKenna said that being selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is “a dream come true.”
The Maple Leafs made the league’s worst-kept secret official on Friday at the NHL Draft in Buffalo when they selected McKenna with the first overall pick. Canadian singing sensation and die-hard Maple Leafs fan Justin Bieber was on hand to make the pick for the team, with McKenna donning the blue and white for the first time on stage at the draft with Bieber standing beside him.
Gavin McKenna Reacts to Being Taken First Overall
Speaking to reporters in a press conference after being taken first overall, McKenna shared his reaction to the Maple Leafs selecting him with the first pick.
“Special moment, for sure. This is a dream come true to hug my family, walk up on the stage, and see Justin Bieber. This isn’t what I imagined when I was a young kid. It’s so much better, and the fact that it’s here, it’s been special,” McKenna said.
The former Penn State University standout also expressed his love for the Maple Leafs fanbase, who are collectively ecstatic to welcome him to Toronto.
“It feels good. I love those fans already. It’s one of the most passionate fanbases out there, and I’m looking forward to getting started. I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” McKenna said.
What Line Will Gavin McKenna Play On?
One of the biggest questions that new Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller has to answer is what line McKenna will play on next season.
McKenna is a left winger, so he could potentially play on the Maple Leafs’ top line with captain Auston Matthews, the team’s best player and one of the NHL’s top goal scorers.
It’s also possible that McKenna could play with veteran John Tavares on the team’s second line. But either way, McKenna will likely be playing with one of Matthews or Tavares, who were both first-overall picks when they were drafted into the league, too, making them both the perfect mentors for the youngster from Whitehorse, Yukon, as he enters the NHL.
The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs this past season for the first time in a decade, which cost former GM Brad Treliving and former head coach Craig Berube their jobs.
But after the Maple Leafs hired John Chayka as their new GM and brought back franchise legend Mats Sundin as a senior advisor, the team struck gold in the NHL Draft Lottery when they lucked out and won the first overall pick.
The Maple Leafs could never have expected to have the first overall pick in this year’s draft, so in many ways, the team is playing with house money by getting McKenna, a highly-rated prospect who could be a franchise player in Toronto for many years to come.
After a stinker of a season this past year, things are finally looking up in Toronto, and McKenna’s selection with the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft is a big reason why.
Gavin McKenna: ‘Dream Come True’ Being Drafted by Maple Leafs