The first overall pick in this summer’s draft has a place to stay for his rookie season.
At the NHLPA player media tour, forward John Tavares said it was a no-brainer to have Gavin McKenna stay with him this season.
“You want him to go out and enjoy all the great things about being a Maple Leaf, and living his dream, playing in the NHL, and the opportunity to play for an unbelievable fanbase that’s going to love him and support him,” Tavares said.
“And when it does feel heavy at times, or when it is a lot, going through it for the first time, he has that ability to just be in a family environment.”
When Tavares was a rookie during the 2009-10 season, he stayed with a veteran on the New York Islanders. That player was Doug Weight, also a former Islanders captain in his final two NHL seasons.
As Tavares went through the hills and valleys of his first professional season, Weight provided guidance. He also helped the first overall pick keep his head above water.
House of first overall picks
While McKenna and Tavares were both taken first overall in their respective drafts, there is a different kind of pressure now than there was in 2009.
The veteran realizes that’s a huge reason he wants to have McKenna stay with his family. This will help him as he gets acclimated to the NHL.
“It’s definitely different than what I had experienced,” Tavares said. “That’s why even more I felt like offering up the opportunity if it made sense for him and the organization.
“Just being able to come home and disconnect from it all — the attention can be a lot at times, especially just being 18 years old and from a small town in a more remote place out in the Yukon (Whitehorse). That can be really positive for him.”
Not only does this kind of move benefit McKenna, but it also gives the soon-to-be 36-year-old in Tavares more energy. He’ll get to see firsthand how this rookie season goes for McKenna as the Leafs’ top prospect takes the ice.
Tavares has also housed rookies like Matthew Knies and Fraser Minten in Toronto. A third won’t hurt. In addition, the Leafs are poised to try and contend for a playoff spot.
A lot of faith is put in McKenna
Taking McKenna and shuffling up the personnel in Toronto this summer has the expectations scattered for this frachise across numerous outlets.
The Atlantic Division won’t be easy to climb back up in. However, after a brief makeover, Tavares feels like it’s possible to be on the hunt for the Stanley Cup.
“It’s pretty impressive what’s gone on. Gotta give the organization a lot of credit,” Tavares said. “(They’ve) created an amazing environment and an amazing experience and opportunity to do something special that hasn’t been done in Toronto in a long time.”
Tavares came home to Toronto in 2018. He is still chasing his first Stanley Cup. He’s as hungry as he’s ever been now that the Leafs have McKenna.
Fans and pundits may want the rookie to clip at a point-per-game pace or be the savior after a poor 2025-26 season. Still, he’s just getting his career started.
“You’re a rookie once in the NHL and have this amazing opportunity to just enjoy it, be driven, compete your ass off, and have fun with it,” Tavares said.
“You’re going to have a tremendous amount of resources, influences, mentors, people in the organization (and) on the team that are going to do everything they can to help you along the way. There’s going to be ups and downs, but that’s part of the journey, part of the learning. You get to live your dream.
Follow Nick Kieser on Twitter/X: @KieserNick
Gavin McKenna to Live with John Tavares for Rookie Season