Managing Gavin McKenna’s Rookie Development

Since drafting Gavin McKenna first overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made it clear that the 18-year-old’s development will unfold on its own schedule. Despite widespread anticipation among fans to see McKenna immediately penciled into a top-line role alongside Auston Matthews, the team chose to err on the side of caution.

That patient runway began with minutes on the second line beside John Tavares and William Nylander, before head coach Jim Hiller made the decision to drop McKenna to the third unit alongside Nick Paul and Colton Sissons for Toronto’s first road trip of the season.

While some viewed the third-line assignment as a punishment for the first overall selection, it was fundamentally about managing deployment. Without the benefit of last change on the road, shielding McKenna from mismatched defensive-zone assignments kept him in positions to succeed.

The strategy has seemingly been successful. After starting his career with no points in his first three NHL games, McKenna responded with points in three consecutive games, accounting for a goal and three assists, leaving McKenna currently tied for first in NHL rookie scoring.

Seizing the Power-Play Opportunity in Colorado

On Saturday, the Maple Leafs made the trip to Colorado to face off against the Avalanche in what was expected to be a difficult game. The task became that much harder when it was announced that the Leafs would be without John Tavares, who had returned home for the birth of his fourth child. While this left a hole down the middle of the lineup, it also created an immediate opportunity for McKenna to get reps on the team’s top power-play unit alongside Matthews, Nylander, Kirill Marchenko, and Darren Raddysh.

Up until Saturday night, McKenna had found himself relegated to the second power-play unit, seeing only minimal minutes in action (averaging just 1:12 of man-advantage ice time per game). For the Leafs, this was the exact deployment they wanted, knowing it would take him time to acclimate to both the speed and physicality of the NHL. So when the opportunity presented itself, McKenna passed the test with flying colours, immediately assisting on a Nylander game-tying goal.

The Leafs would carry on the momentum from there, going on to win the game 6-3. The fifth goal was once again highlighted by an outstanding play by McKenna on the backcheck, breaking up an odd-man rush and ultimately leading to an Auston Matthews goal at the other end of the ice.

The play won’t show up on the scoresheet in any conventional way, but it certainly won’t be overlooked by the Leafs’ coaching staff. With the biggest doubt about McKenna’s game entering the NHL being his defensive play, efforts like this go a long way in breaking down that narrative. In 15:42 of total ice time on Saturday, McKenna registered a plus-2 rating and generated three individual scoring chances at 5-on-5, proving he can handle the responsibilities of the professional game.

After the game, team captain Auston Matthews had nothing but praise for McKenna, highlighting his ability to see the play develop and his elite hockey IQ, two things which were never in question.

For Matthews especially, the addition of playmakers like McKenna and Marchenko helps augment the support already provided by Nylander, making the Maple Leafs the deepest they’ve been offensively in likely Matthews’ entire career.

What Tavares' Return Means for the Leafs' Power Play

For the Leafs, the question must now begin: with Tavares expected to return at some point this week, where do they go from here?

If the organization is trusting the process and leaving development in McKenna’s hands, it’s important to allow him room to grow. That also means when something is working, the team definitely shouldn’t revert back to a system that has struggled.

I won’t take anything away from John Tavares. He’s given everything as a member of the Maple Leafs since signing in Toronto as a free agent, but the forward has also lost a step. At times, his foot speed is limiting in the offensive zone, making it difficult for him to win foot races and hindering the team on clean zone entries. Plays have died on Tavares’ stick in the early season; while there is a chance that changes, there is also a chance it doesn’t.

With the Maple Leafs currently operating with Matthews, Nylander, Marchenko, and Raddysh on their top unit, that leaves limited touches and shooting opportunities for Tavares, something he needs to be successful. What the top power play truly needs is a distributor, a skillset that McKenna possesses at an elite level. Reallocating Tavares to be the go-to option on a second power-play unit with Easton Cowan, Nick Paul, Jack Roslovic, and Morgan Rielly is likely the best fit for both the player and the roster structure.

Trusting the Process: Unlocking McKenna’s Next Gear

If you’re trying to protect McKenna while he still learns the league at even strength, rewarding the rookie for his strong performance should come in the form of the power play. It is the team’s best opportunity to maximize their offensive weapons, potentially unlock the power-play blast of Darren Raddysh, and lengthen their lineup even further.

If trusting the process means sheltering a young player when needed, it must also mean lifting the ceiling when he demonstrates he no longer needs that shelter.

It is only a matter of when, not if, McKenna finds himself on the top line with Auston Matthews. But in the interim, cementing his role on the power play is the exact step the Maple Leafs need to take to fully unlock the rookie's next gear and finalize their status as the league's deepest offensive threat.