Gavin McKenna’s first run through Maple Leafs camp is going to be short on time and heavy on decisions.
Toronto doesn’t have the luxury of a long evaluation period here. With the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft expected to play a meaningful offensive role in 2026-27, Jim Hiller will get only a limited window to sort out where the 18-year-old belongs and whether he’s ready for top-six responsibility.
That process could start before McKenna even gets into a preseason game. His status for the Prospect Showcase is still uncertain, and there’s a real chance his first game action comes in Toronto’s preseason opener on Sept.
- Either way, every appearance matters, because Hiller isn’t just trying to find out if McKenna can score.
The Maple Leafs need to see where he fits.
There’s not much time to figure it out, either. Toronto and Hiller have training camp and the preseason to make their call, but the calendar gets tight fast: only a week separates the end of the preseason from the start of the regular season. The hope is that a surprise showing at the Prospect Showcase, plus two strong preseason games, gives McKenna confidence and gives Hiller a clearer read on how best to use him in the top six.
The preseason is where Toronto can experiment without consequences. Hiller can try McKenna with Matthews on the top line, get a look at him on the power play, and see that highlight-reel creativity in a setting that doesn’t count.
But even that evaluation comes with limits, because McKenna won’t be able to play in both preseason games against Montreal or Ottawa. Those are split-squad games, which leaves him only two full preseason games to settle in.
Then comes the bigger pressure point: opening night.
Once McKenna plays his first regular-season game, the clock starts on his nine-game NHL window before his ELC kicks in. The 10th game is the line of no return for Toronto’s first-year decision. At that point, the Maple Leafs lose the ability to preserve that first year of his entry-level contract.
That’s why the opening stretch matters so much. Toronto has a mixed schedule, and while games against the Islanders, Senators, Mammoth, and Predators look more manageable than matchups with Vegas or Colorado, nothing is guaranteed. The first game, against Montreal at Scotiabank Arena, should also come with a loud atmosphere and plenty of chances for McKenna to make an impact.
If he looks like a point-per-game player over that 10-game stretch, the Leafs won’t have much reason to hold him back.
Game 10 won’t settle every question about where McKenna plays the rest of the season. But it will lock in one major choice for Toronto: the first year of his entry-level contract will be burned.
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