Connor McDavid didn’t have a scouting report ready on Gavin McKenna, but he did have a clear read on the challenge waiting for him in Toronto.
At Zach Hyman’s annual golf tournament in Toronto, McDavid was asked about McKenna during a late-July media scrum, and the Oilers captain kept his answer short and direct. The 2026 first-overall draft pick has become one of the sport’s biggest talking points, and McDavid’s comments only added to the buzz.
“I don’t know much about him. I haven’t paid attention all that much, to be honest. Seems like he’s a good kid," McDavid said.
"He’ll have his hands full in Toronto, but he seems like he’s prepared for it. He’ll have a good support system there too, obviously with Auston, and he’ll have lots of support around him, so he should be fine.”
The remark that stands out most is the one about Toronto itself. McDavid didn’t dress it up. He made it plain that life with the Maple Leafs comes with pressure, attention and plenty of noise, even for a player with McKenna’s upside.
The timing of McDavid’s comments also fits the moment. It’s the dead period of the NHL calendar, the kind of stretch when any hint of news gets magnified. McKenna’s name is already dominating the conversation, and the idea of him arriving in Toronto has fans imagining a rookie season that could shift the Leafs’ fortunes.
McDavid’s answer also pointed to the kind of help McKenna could have around him. He mentioned Auston Matthews by name, and there’s no mystery there: McDavid and Matthews are close, and the Leafs captain would be one of the biggest pieces of any support system around the young winger. John Tavares was also part of that picture in the source discussion, another veteran presence who could help guide a player with “limitless potential.”
There’s even a bigger-picture wrinkle here. McDavid is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2028, which leaves open the possibility that he and McKenna could one day end up as teammates in Toronto. It’s not a certainty, but it’s the kind of thought that keeps this whole story humming.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Still Have 3 Free Agent Decisions To Make
Even after a busy stretch of signings, the Maple Leafs still have a few free-agent possibilities left on the board if they want to keep tinkering with the roster. The names being floated are familiar in different ways: Eeli Tolvanen as a scoring winger with some upside, Michael Bunting as a former Leaf who did some of his best work in Toronto, and Nick Blankenburg as a right-shot defense option who could come cheaply and fill a depth role.
Tolvanens appeal is obvious if the Leafs are still looking for another forward who can push into the top six, while Bunting would give them another middle-six winger with a track record in this market. Blankenburg is the quieter fit, but the kind of low-cost defenseman teams often circle back to late in the process, which is why Torontos remaining decisions feel less about headline moves now and more about whether there is still one more useful piece to add. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Just Made Quiet Changes Fans Have Been Waiting On
With the NHL arbitration calendar now wrapped up without a single hearing, the attention around the league has started to shift from contract disputes to the quieter roster-building work happening behind the scenes. Torontos latest move falls into that category, with the organization making official changes to its Marlies hockey operations and coaching staff as it continues to shape the support system around the big club.
Chris Bourque has been named assistant GM to Ryan Hardy, while Jeremiah Crowe joins as director of player personnel. The Marlies bench is also getting new faces, with Denver Manderson and Greg Moore added as assistant coaches for Steve Sullivan and Mark Giordano, a set of moves that suggests the Leafs are still fine-tuning the pipeline even as the offseasons louder headlines play out elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Defensive Logjam Could Force Another Painful Roster Decision
Torontos defense picture has changed again this summer, and the additions of Emil Andrae and Darren Raddysh, along with Troy Stechers return and Simon Benoits departure, have left the Maple Leafs with more bodies than clear openings. That kind of depth can be useful in camp, but it also means someone on the fringe is going to feel the squeeze as the team tries to sort out its blue line and make room for younger options.
Philippe Myers is the name most likely to be caught in the middle of that logjam after a difficult season following his 2024 free-agent signing. Toronto still has to decide how it wants to handle the roster and cap space issue, and the path forward could affect whether prospects such as William Villeneuve and Ben Danford get a real chance to push for jobs. If Myers stays put, the Leafs may have to find another way to trim the group. [Read more 🡒]