The Toronto Maple Leafs have been handed an encouraging prediction for Gavin McKenna’s first NHL season, with the preseason just a few days away.
The Toronto franchise is one to watch heading into the 2026-27 season, given the moves they made this offseason. The Leafs underwent both organizational and roster restructuring, and one of their most important moves was signing the No. 1 prospect from the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna.
Naturally, there has been plenty of speculation in recent weeks about the role McKenna will have on the team and whether he is ready to immediately play alongside captain Auston Matthews.
Nick Alberga and former NHL player Jay Rosehill discussed the matter on Tuesday, Sept. 8, during the latest edition of Leafs Morning Take.
Maple Leafs’ McKenna Will Take Time to Become Key Piece, Analysts Say
For the Daily Faceoff show’s co-hosts, it will probably take McKenna longer than some people expect for him to become an irreplaceable and highly important piece of the team, but they believe he has all the tools to adapt over time.
“And truthfully, I think it really helps having the guys he does around him. Like, this isn’t your traditional crap team; nobody around him. Like, I think it will actually benefit Canada that there’s Matthews there, there’s John Tavares, there’s Nylander. Like, there are some actual players on this roster,” Alberga began by saying.
Rosehill responded, “He’s going to have years and years and years playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so he’s going to end up playing with Auston Matthews at some point in time.”
The former NHL player also added that he understands the expectations surrounding McKenna and the role he is taking on with the franchise at such a young age, but said that, judging by how his agents are handling the situation, it is clear that the idea is to take things cautiously.
He said, “I understand he’s a playmaker. I understand that’s what Auston Matthews is looking for. I get all that. But as you just mentioned, you know, their agents and the powers that be, they’re very strategic about these things, and I stand by what I said last week: they’re going to be cautious with it.”
“There’s already going to be a ton on his plate being the first overall pick, let alone the first overall pick in Toronto. So I don’t see him starting with Matthews.”
Maple Leafs Warned About McKenna Demotion Risk
Rosehill emphasized how big a demotion it could be if things don’t go well and how the media would react, and stressed that the most logical approach is to be strategic with the young player and develop him step by step.
He said, “There’s nowhere to go after that if things don’t go well, except a huge demotion, which we know the media would roll on, and we’ve talked about this. So I stand by what I said: they’re going to be, like you said, strategic with this guy, try to feather him into the NHL a little bit and then have him build up towards playing with Auston Matthews, which might happen in the third game, for all I know. It might happen opening night.”
“I’m just saying, from my perspective, what I would think they need to do to protect this guy and to make sure that his transition goes smoothly is to kind of ease him into the league a little bit, and I don’t think that means slamming him beside Auston Matthews opening night.”
Both analysts are clear, as are most Toronto fans, that McKenna will become a key piece for the Maple Leafs sooner or later, and that taking things cautiously for now is the best way to develop him at the elite level.
Maple Leafs Get Encouraging Gavin McKenna Prediction From Analysts