McKenna moments, five points on the newest Maple Leaf draft star

The Whitehorse, Yukon-born winger has generated plenty of interest after officially chosen first overall on Friday in Buffalo.

Published Jun 27, 2026  •  Last updated 4 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Gavin McKenna poses for a portrait after being selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during day one of the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, New York, on June 26, 2026. Photo by Joe Hrycych /Getty Images

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Born to play

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McKenna’s mother Krystal told Sportsnet the year-old Gavin would fall asleep clutching a plastic mini hockey stick, often with a puck beside his bed.

“(When a bit older) he’d even try and sleep with his helmet on his head.”

The 72 series

McKenna will continue wearing 72, a homage to his birth year of 2007 (Dec. 20), also the year his favourite player, Patrick Kane, joined the NHL and the reverse number of forward Jonathan Drouin, another early favourite.

It has been worn by two other Leafs, defenceman Mathieu Schneider (1995-98) and forward Travis Boyd (2020-21). McKenna will be the second of his name to play for the Leafs. Quebec-born forward Sean McKenna played 48 games between 1987-90.

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Teaching moment

Krystal is a gym instructor at Jack Hullard Elementary in Whitehorse and a former player. His father Willy works in the construction industry and played some shinny, too.

Homemade rink rat

Gavin and his older and younger sisters learned to skate on a custom backyard rink thanks to Willy’s tool talents, perfected by Yukon temperatures that could dip to -30C. Gavin didn’t mind the cold.

“My dad put lots of hours into building it, so I would have to repay him by spending hours on the ice, too,” he told CBC.

Read More

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2. 

   Why Leafs GM John Chayka travelled to Yukon to meet McKenna family

3. 

   Why Maple Leafs traded Brandon Carlo to St. Louis Blues

Heritage hockey

McKenna’s background is First Nations as many know, but he enhanced that on the draft red carpet Friday night in Buffalo.

He wore two intricately woven beaded Wolf Clan emblems on his jacket, created by one of his sisters. They represented Every Child Matters and survivors of Residential Schools, which his maternal grandfather had to attend. Family members wore Indigenous vests.

“It sucks hearing what some (Indigenous) people have to go through,” Gavin told Sportsnet. “I’ve been lucky enough to grow up where that’s becoming less and less. Looking back, I don’t want it to become like that again. It influences me to be the best human I can be.”

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