Why Gavin McKenna made a good first impression in Maple Leafs loss

Toronto welcomed back captain Matthews from his March 12 knee injury

Published Sep 19, 2026  •  Last updated 4 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Gavin McKenna, the first pick overall in the NHL draft by the Maple Leafs, at development camp at the Ford Performance Centre in Etobicoke on July 3, 2026. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun

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Gavin McKenna did not fade in his first test under the bright lights of Bay Street.

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Not when the Maple Leafs wasted no time putting their first overall draft pick in the starting lineup of Saturday’s home exhibition on a high-profile line. He played 20-plus minutes, kept up with William Nylander’s speed and John Tavares’s hockey IQ, with a three shots and what could have been a couple of pretty assists. Coach Jim Hiller tried him with Auston Matthews at centre late in the evening and as part of a 6-on-5.

He was among the positives on a night when Toronto welcomed back captain Matthews from his March 12 knee injury, Chris Tanev rejoining partner Jake McCabe, and Sergei Bobrovsky’s solid half game in net.

It was everything but a win over the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena with a Maksymilian Szuber screen shot past Anthony Stolarz for the lead and eventual 4-1 win.

After getting the loudest pre-game starting lineup introduction ‘from Whitehorse, Yukon,’ McKenna’s first shift saw linemate-landlord Tavares draw a penalty and McKenna joined the second power-play unit with a chance to open the scoring.

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That was a prime example of what endeared him to the scouts at a young age, with a quick, calm pass through the slot to an open Bo Groulx, who flubbed the opportunity. In the third period, McKenna was nimble in traffic again trying to find Nylander.

A hooking penalty soon after took some of McKenna’s momentum away, but his trio nearly clicked to start the second period. McKenna then sped away down the right side on a partial break from a turnover, but Canadiens goaltender Samuel Montembeault gave him no room. Before leaving as scheduled at the game’s midway mark, Montembeault stopped another solo McKenna dash down the wall.

Toronto’s new golden goalie Bobrovsky stopped 10 of 11 shots, beaten only by a nice Philip Danault lasso of a 2-on-1 pass flicked upstairs from a tough angle. Both closers Stolarz and Kaapo Kahkonen kept up the strong goaltending, the latter snatching a wide-open Matthews deke on the goal-line. Matthews, Matthew Knies and new right winger Jack Roslovic showed lots of potential, but need more time.

Matthews did get an assist, as the other big-name summer signing, defenceman Darren Raddysh, proved his power play point credentials. Though his rocket ricocheted off two Montreal sticks, it found its way in on a night power plays on both teams showed lots of off-season rust.

Danault (into an empty net) and Samuel Poulin (with 23 seconds left) accounted for the final two Montreal goals.

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