Gavin McKenna’s first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs may end up colliding with a decision that has nothing to do with the regular schedule and everything to do with the World Juniors.
McKenna has not played a game yet for Toronto, but the expectations around the 18-year-old are already enormous. He’s been talked about as the missing piece and the future saviour of the organization, a heavy load for any rookie to carry before he’s even skated in a game.
At the same time, the Maple Leafs are under their own pressure. After a dismal 2025-26 season that finished with a last-place result in the Atlantic, the team needs to show it can climb back into contention. That matters here because Toronto’s early form could shape whether it feels comfortable letting McKenna leave for the tournament.
If the Maple Leafs are in a strong position in the standings after the first two months, they may have enough cover to send McKenna to the World Juniors without worrying too much about the short-term hit. But if his production is helping drive that position, then losing him for a couple of weeks - especially during a difficult December stretch - could be a real problem before the Christmas break. Last season showed how quickly things can unravel after that point, and Toronto can’t afford to lose any chemistry or momentum it builds early.
There’s also the timing to consider. Toronto’s record on Dec. 16 last year was 16-12-5, which was decent without being strong enough to inspire a ton of confidence. If the Maple Leafs are tracking along a similar path this time, it may actually make sense to let McKenna go, give him more reps and confidence over the break, and then hope he returns ready to roll in the new year.
Of course, the biggest issue is the one that always hangs over these decisions: injury risk.
Sending McKenna to an international tournament would give him confidence and put him in a spotlight role for Canada, which will be trying to get back to being champions again. But it also means he’d be playing at full throttle in a high-intensity setting, where one bad collision, one awkward tangle into the boards, or one heavy hit could create serious problems.
From Toronto’s point of view, there’s no real downside to holding him back. And McKenna has to understand that exposing himself when he doesn’t have to might not be the smartest move in a rookie season. With the Maple Leafs already dealing with injury concerns, adding another name to that list would only fuel frustration and take away from any hopes of becoming competitive.
It may not be the most popular call, but the safer play for both sides could be keeping McKenna out of the tournament and letting him watch the World Juniors from a distance.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have Found A Prospect They Desperately Need
Tinus-Luc Koblar is starting to look like the kind of prospect the Maple Leafs have been hoping to uncover, and his first season with Leksands IF in the Swedish Hockey League is giving Toronto a useful early read on his game. At 19, he is already facing older professional competition, and that kind of assignment tends to tell you plenty about whether a player is simply filling a developmental slot or actually pushing forward faster than expected. For a late second-round pick, that kind of growth curve is especially encouraging.
What makes Koblar stand out inside the Leafs' prospect pool is the mix itself. Toronto does not have many young players who combine size and skill in one package, which is part of why the organization is keeping close tabs on him this season. He is still early in the process, of course, but the fact that he is producing while adapting to the pace and physical demands of pro hockey has put him on a more interesting track than most players his draft slot usually follow. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Made A Bet Fans Will Instantly Compare To Makar
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For Toronto, the bet is less about matching superstar value and more about betting early on a defender who just delivered a breakout season and could grow into the role the contract demands. The cap implications matter here, because long-term deals at this level shape how a team can build around them, and the Leafs are clearly making a roster-construction choice that says as much about belief in Raddyshs trajectory as it does about the price of defense in todays NHL. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs May Be More Dangerous Up Front And From The Blue Line
NHL EDGE data is pointing to a Maple Leafs group that could look a little more dangerous in different ways this season, with the offense not just coming from the usual places up front. The numbers suggest Toronto may get more punch from the blue line, where Darren Raddysh has shown a knack for high-velocity shot attempts, while forwards such as Matthew Knies, Jack Roslovic and William Nylander bring the kind of traits that can tilt a game even before the puck drops on opening night.
What makes it interesting for Toronto is how those skill sets could feed the power play and make the team harder to defend across a full night, especially if the forward group builds on what it showed a year ago. The question now is how all of that translates once training camp begins, because the ingredients for more scoring are there, but the exact shape of the attack still has to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]