All eyes will be on Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna this season.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft is expected to be the next top offensive superstar in the league. The 18-year-old set records during his WHL career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, racking up 41 goals and 88 assists for 129 points during the 2024-25 season. He set a points streak record at 40 games and ended up winning the award for the WHL’s Most Valuable Player.
McKenna is expected to be on the top line as the No. 1 left winger alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.
New York Islanders star Matthew Schaefer, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and ended up winning the Calder Memorial Trophy award as the league’s top rookie, echoed some advice for his fellow young NHL star as McKenna prepares to begin his career.
“Just enjoy it,” Schaefer said at the Smilezone Celebrity Golf Tournament in Brampton on Monday. “Obviously, he’s in Toronto, and me growing up in Toronto, obviously Toronto’s known for its hockey and stuff just growing up. Toronto’s always the hot spot for tournaments and things like that. But especially hockey. So it’s going to be awesome for him.
“Obviously, he’s a great player,” Schaefer continued. “I’ve got to grow up playing with him. But at the end of the day, he’s a great player. He’s going to do great things. So he’s going to be awesome.”
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Schaefer every bit lived to his billing as the No. 1 overall pick. The 18-year-old produced 23 goals and 36 assists as a defenseman, becoming the youngest defenseman to reach 50 points in NHL history. He also tied the rookie record for goals and not only won the Calder Memorial Trophy, he unanimously won it.
The Islanders star already had a chance to talk to McKenna at the draft a few weeks ago and he had echoed a similar sentiment of advice for the young Maple Leafs star.
“I said enjoy it,” Schaefer said to McKenna. “Obviously, just being at the draft, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. But at the end of the day, just enjoy it. Enjoy it with your family. You know, thank them for everything. But, you know, just keep working.”
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The Maple Leafs are aiming to get back on track after a disappointing season last year. Toronto missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade after posting just 78 points, the second-lowest mark in the Eastern Conference. They’re just a year removed from pushing the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers to seven games.
New general manager John Chayka has made a number of moves to expedite the process, including signing Stanley Cup champion goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and acquiring former Tampa Bay Lightning star Darren Raddysh. McKenna is expected to be a key part of that reload as the Maple Leafs look to return to contention.
Schaefer’s Islanders actually open up the season against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Sep. 30. Meanwhile, it’ll be the Leafs’ second game of the season after opening up the year against the Montreal Canadiens the night before.
“It’s an early game in Toronto for me,” Schaefer said. “So hopefully a lot of family and stuff like that can come. … It’ll be awesome. It’ll be fun.”
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