Gavin McKenna makes Toronto Maple Leafs preseason debut against Montreal Canadiens after 2026 NHL Draft No. 1 selection

TORONTO — Gavin McKenna stepped onto the ice at Scotiabank Arena for his preseason debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, drawing the loudest cheer when the public address announcement introduced him as the No. 92 from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. McKenna was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and the NHL.com report said the moment marked his first time playing with the team in an NHL preseason game.

The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1. Despite the loss, McKenna was active during his 20:39 of ice time, recording three shots. On his third shift of the first period at 4:44, he took a hooking penalty that Toronto killed, after which the report describes several puck-carrying sequences as he settled into the pace of the game.

McKenna’s involvement included offensive looks at multiple points in the matchup. In the second period, he held the puck on a 2-on-1 with Willy Nylander and shot from the right face-off dot at 5:32. Near the end of a power play at 10:42 of the second period, he skated past a defender and took a shot from the bottom of the right face-off circle.

Head coach Jim Hiller said McKenna was “in on three or four chances,” adding that it was a positive start in a game with limited scoring chances. Hiller also advised McKenna to “not overthink it” and indicated the team would watch how he adjusts in the next game.

According to the recap, McKenna played primarily at left wing with John Tavares at center and Nylander at right wing at even strength, and he also appeared on the second power-play unit. Late in the third period, when Toronto pulled goalie Anthony Stolarz for a 6-on-5 advantage while trailing 2-1, McKenna was sent out but the Leafs were unable to tie the game.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk