Toronto Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach met with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine to discuss Gavin McKenna, the 2026 class overall, and what he’s searching for in potential draft picks.

Leach will oversee the Maple Leafs draft, with Judd Brackett joining the team as assistant general manager, player evaluation on June 1. Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka also spoke to reporters Friday, where he previewed McKenna, while making it clear that there’s no timeline in place to hire the next head coach.

Although Chayka indicated that the Maple Leafs are still considering 5-6 players in an upper tier, for the first overall selection, McKenna is widely considered the favourite at this juncture. Chayka went to McKenna’s hometown to visit the dynamic forward and learn more about his character, with the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft set for June 26.

“He wants to win,” Leach said of McKenna, when asked about his competitiveness. “He had a great year in juniors the year before and had great success. Talking with the coaches, he is a guy who wants to get better every day. He drags guys into the fight, if you will, not only in the games but also in practice. He makes them get there early and stay later. Those are special people when they bring people into the fight like that. He has the ability to do that.”

There’s a mutual appreciation between McKenna and the Maple Leafs. McKenna spoke to reporters on Friday afternoon, and expressed his excitement about being potentially selected first overall by Toronto.

“Obviously the situation the Leafs are in right now, it’s pretty crazy they got the first overall pick,” McKenna said. “They’re a team who’s probably going to be fighting for the playoffs next year so I’d be pretty fortunate to go there.”

After the 2025 NHL Draft, Leach spoke about size as a commonality between prospects they selected. Leach once again spoke about the importance of having size in the modern NHL, which could be a precursor for what may lie ahead after the first round.

“I’ve always been a guy who likes size. I’ve always liked size to a point. I also like competitiveness. A kid has to be able to compete to play at the highest level and get the most out of themselves. You’ve got to be competitive. They can all skate. They all have skill. They all have some good IQ. You have to be able to mix it all together.”

Toronto will conduct approximately 65 interviews throughout the combine, Leach stated. There will be a range of prospects the Maple Leafs will certainly target, during a year where they have a renewed opportunity to bolster a once-barren prospect pool. McKenna is widely considered the favourite to go first overall. Beyond the first pick, Leach, Brackett, and the Maple Leafs’ scouting staff will be working diligently to find real value for a team that is currently trying to re-tool, after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.