Gavin McKenna’s first game in a Maple Leafs sweater did more than give Toronto a glimpse of its new first overall pick. It also showed just how quickly the crowd has decided to embrace him.
McKenna didn’t find the scoresheet, but he still made a strong first impression. He played nearly 21 minutes, fired three shots and added a block while showing confidence early and creating a few good looks for teammates that didn’t turn into goals. For a rookie debut, it was a steady, encouraging night.
The reaction from the crowd was impossible to miss. Every time McKenna touched the puck, the building seemed to come alive, and he said after the game that the support hit him hard.
"It was super cool. To know I've got this fanbase behind me, it feels good. When you hear that, you almost get chills.
Just everything, being out there with the guys, the talent in this room, very lucky to be able to step out there on that ice for my first time with guys like Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, J.T. (John Tavares), Willy (Nylander). I'll remember this day forever."
The night wasn’t perfect, and nobody is pretending McKenna has arrived as a finished product. But he handled the spotlight, kept driving play and looked comfortable enough for a debut that should only build more confidence from here.
What stood out even more was how fast Leafs Nation has taken to him. That’s a sharp contrast to Mitch Marner, who never really enjoyed that same blanket of affection in Toronto. Even while producing at a high level, Marner was often under fire from the crowd, whether because of his perceived attitude, questions about playoff production or broader frustration with his camp.
McKenna, by comparison, feels like a player the fanbase is ready to protect. He didn’t score, but nobody walked out of Scotiabank Arena demanding more from him. That kind of immediate goodwill is a real difference from what Marner dealt with.
It doesn’t mean McKenna is beyond criticism forever. It does mean he has walked into a far softer landing than Marner ever had. And with one game down, the excitement around him only figures to grow.
In Other News...
Matthews Gave Leafs Fans One Reason To Exhale In Montreal
Auston Matthews gave Maple Leafs fans something to track in an otherwise rough split-squad preseason night in Montreal, where Toronto dropped both games and had to settle for smaller victories in the individual performances. Matthews looked closer to his usual self with noticeable speed and an assist, while Darren Raddysh provided the clubs lone goal and rookie Gavin McKenna flashed the sort of playmaking that can stand out even in a preseason setting.
For a Leafs team still sorting through early impressions, the point was less about the results than the signs underneath them. Matthews pace was the biggest takeaway, and McKennas creativity offered another encouraging note, even with a penalty mixed in. It was the kind of evaluative night that leaves the standings untouched but gives the coaching staff and the fan base a little more to chew on. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Fringe Forward Made An Early Statement In Montreal
Michael Pezzetta wasted little time making his presence felt in Montreal while skating with the Maple Leafs B-team. In a game featuring fringe players and prospects because Torontos main roster was elsewhere, Pezzetta dropped the gloves with Canadiens player Lucas Condotta and was ejected afterward, a flashpoint that fit the tone of a matchup built more on auditions and edge than star power.
The scuffling did not stop there, either. Shortly after Pezzettas fight, teammate Teddy Blueger also got into one in the same game, adding another layer of nastiness to a night that already had a distinctly old-school feel. For Leafs players trying to leave a mark with limited opportunities, these are the kinds of moments that can matter just as much as any shift in the offensive zone. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Hiller Saw Promise In The Leafs But One Clear Problem Too
After the Maple Leafs preseason loss to the Canadiens, Jim Hiller came away seeing both the kind of early signs a coach wants and the kind of issues that tend to linger if they are not cleaned up quickly. He pointed to Gavin McKennas good start and liked what he saw from Auston Matthews, especially his skating and the way he carried an offensive threat, which at least gave Toronto some encouraging takeaways from a game that did not go its way.
Still, Hiller sounded just as focused on the gaps as the positives, especially the teams skating without the puck, an area that can quietly decide preseason games and, later, more meaningful ones. He also addressed Sergei Bobrovskys playing-time management, another reminder that these exhibition games are about more than the final score as the Leafs sort through how their pieces fit and what needs sharpening before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]