The Result Has A Second Meaning
John Chayka made the trip north. The Maple Leafs general manager flew to Whitehorse, Yukon, last week to sit down with Gavin McKenna and his family before the NHL combine even began. It was a deliberate choice — Chayka wants to get the person right before the pick.
"It's about getting the right person and, in a market like this, I don't think you can miss on that," Chayka said at the Harborcenter in Buffalo. "We want to make sure we get the person right first and foremost."
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
McKenna is a small-town kid from a remote part of the world. He moved away from home at age 12 to chase a hockey dream, leaving a territory with a limited player pool and next to no competition. He didn't have a skating coach until he was 13, didn't touch a weight until that time either. What he did have was a clear sense of who he is and what hockey means to his family.
"I find it impressive," Chayka said. "There's some real resolve around who he is and what his career means to him and his family."
McKenna's grandfather, Joe Mason, is a survivor of the Canadian Indian residential school system. The family connection runs deep — it's the kind of root that shapes a player differently than most prospects in this draft.
The Leafs are coming off a campaign that landed them fifth last in the league. They hold the first overall pick in 2026, and McKenna is the favourite to go there. But Chayka revealed the team is considering five or six candidates.
"There's a nice mix of different players and different styles and a few different positions," the 36-year-old executive said. "It's a good year. It's nice for it to be hard."
The Part Worth Keeping
Among the others in the mix: Frolunda left winger Ivar Stenberg, who helped Sweden win gold at the World Juniors and just played at the men's Worlds. Mark Leach, Toronto's director of amateur scouting, called him "highly skilled, highly creative, mature." Defenceman Chase Reid, heading to Michigan State after a standout season with the Soo Greyhounds, is also under consideration.
McKenna handled the attention years ago. He received exceptional status to play in the WHL at age 15 with the Medicine Hat Tigers, then made the jump to Penn State for his draft year. He finished second in scoring at the World Juniors, helping Canada win bronze, then surged in the second half of his NCAA season.
"He drags guys into the fight," Leach observed. "Not only in games, but also in practice. He makes them get there early, makes them stay later. Those are special people."
McKenna is already talking like someone who belongs in the league.
"Obviously the situation the Leafs are in right now, it's pretty crazy they got the first overall pick," the 18-year-old 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."
He downplayed any adjustment concerns about Toronto. "Being a small-town kid moving to a big city would be pretty cool," he said. "I'd have to make sure I'm being smart and stuff, but it would be cool."