The Toronto Maple Leafs are only three games into the season, but Gavin McKenna’s first stretch in the NHL has already turned into an uncomfortable talking point.
The 2026 No. 1 pick came into the league with plenty of buzz, and the hype around the teenage rookie was never subtle. But through Toronto’s 2-1 start, McKenna has not recorded his first NHL point, even though he should have had one against Montreal.
That part is still easy to dismiss this early. Three games is a tiny sample, and the points figure to show up.
The more troubling part for Toronto is what the numbers say about his overall impact.
McKenna has been the Leafs’ worst player by the underlying metrics so far, ranking last on the team in 5v5 xG%. He has a -0.3 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck, and sits fourth-worst on the club in on-ice expected goals for. Among players with at least 20 minutes played, only Teddy Blueger and Brandon Duhaime have been worse.
He’s also been on the ice for three goals against, owns a minus-3 rating, and has been on the ice for just one goal for. That lone goal came on the power play, and McKenna barely touched the puck on the sequence - a quick deflection that helped the play move along, but not one that led to an assist.
The bigger issue is how opposing teams have handled his line. They’ve been able to control play because Toronto hasn’t been able to hold onto the puck long enough. Once McKenna or John Tavares gets knocked off it, the group has a hard time getting back into proper defensive position.
One possible fix would be a lineup change that sends McKenna to a more favorable spot alongside Nick Paul and Colton Sissons. That would still leave Easton Cowan in the mix, but with more defensive support from Paul and Sissons.
Cowan could also fit that kind of role. As a puck hound, he can pressure opponents, use his speed and creativity, and help create space or find William Nylander drifting into the zone. In that setup, even dump-ins become a chance to create offense.
None of this changes the bigger picture: McKenna is not a bad player, and the jump from the WHL and NCAA to the NHL is a real one. His time will come. But if Toronto wants that process to move faster, the Leafs may need to put a little more protection around him.
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