The Toronto Maple Leafs will be one of many teams to watch at the upcoming NHL draft now that they have the first overall pick, an unprecedented turn of events considering where this team is supposed to be right now.

If you caught our article a few days ago about the Vancouver Canucks taking projected top pick Gavin McKenna out to dinner (and why that isn’t a big deal for the Leafs), you’ll be happy to know that the Maple Leafs have already met with McKenna. The top prospect confirmed on the NHL Draft Class podcast that general manager John Chayka has already traveled to his hometown to meet him.

“Chayka, he ended up coming up to Whitehorse,” McKenna said. “So I got to meet with him and had a really good conversation with him. I think they’ve got their combine after this, so go meet with them there, and we’ll see where things go.”

McKenna was one of many junior hockey players to take the college hockey route, opting to play at Penn State University in his draft year. Despite a slow start, he finished strong with 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games. He’s widely regarded to be ready to take the next step as soon as next year, and if the Maple Leafs draft him, could give him a spot next to one of the best goal-scorers in the league in Auston Matthews.

Despite McKenna seeming like the no-brainer pick, director of amateur scouting Mark Leach stressed that the team will be evaluating all of their options, including fellow top prospects Ivar Stenberg and Chase Reid.

“We will be discussing it after this week, we’ll be rehashing it,” Leach said regarding the top pick on the NHL Draft Class podcast. “I think in this situation we want to be able to take the time. We have the time, so why not take it? Dig back in and keep going over and making sure you’re making the right decision for the organization.”

The 2026 NHL Draft will take place in Buffalo with Day 1 taking place on Friday, June 26.

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