Gavin McKenna’s first chance to show the Maple Leafs what he can do may not come at the Prospect Showcase after all.
McKenna was supposed to be part of the tournament, but that plan is now uncertain as he works through the move from Penn State to Toronto and settles into full-time pro life. During the NHLPA Rookie Showcase, he told David Alter of The Hockey News that his status is still "up in the air" when it comes to whether he’ll actually play in the tournament games.
The off-ice adjustment has been a bigger task than expected. McKenna also said he still hasn’t locked down his living situation in Toronto. For now, he’s been living out of his suitcase for the last three months while traveling constantly, though he has recently found some stability in Vancouver, where he’s training with Macklin Celebrini.
That uncertainty matters because the Prospect Showcase was set up to be McKenna’s first real in-game test in a Maple Leafs sweater. In recent years, players like Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten used that stage to get a first taste of game action, and Toronto was expected to get the same kind of look at McKenna.
The Leafs have seen plenty of their prospects use that setting to build momentum. Cowan, Minten, Ben Danford, Noah Chadwick, and Artur Akhtyamov all took part, and each has since contributed in some way to an NHL or AHL team. Cowan made his debut last year, Minten - now in Boston - has established himself as a solid middle-six centre, and Akhtyamov just won Playoff MVP and a Calder Cup this season.
That doesn’t mean the Rookie Showcase is some magic formula, but it does offer a low-pressure chance to get game reps and work through different situations before the real games begin. If McKenna sits out, Toronto loses that opportunity to see how he handles live competition against players in his own age group.
If that happens, the next chance for McKenna to play in a game would come in preseason. The Maple Leafs have four games total, including two split-squad games, which means they’d only get two real chances to evaluate him alongside his potential linemates.
That would send him straight into a tougher environment. Instead of easing in against peers, McKenna would be facing NHL opponents who won’t make the transition simple. There’s no real stakes in preseason, but as the first overall pick, he’ll still run into a higher level of resistance than he would at a prospect showcase.
Toronto also has to think about his protection. The additions of Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime give the Leafs options to watch over McKenna if things get chippy.
And without the showcase reps, it becomes harder for Toronto to figure out exactly where he fits. That kind of look would have given Jim Hiller a chance to see McKenna’s strengths up close and decide whether he’s ready for a bigger role right away.
McKenna’s debut is coming one way or another, and Maple Leafs fans will get their first extended look at him this October. But if he has to jump straight into preseason action, the adjustment gets a lot steeper - and he’ll need to show quickly that he can keep up with NHL mainstays.
In Other News...
Easton Cowan Is Chasing Something Leafs Fans Have Waited To See
Easton Cowan has already built a rare postseason rsum before even settling into the NHL conversation in Toronto. He won the Memorial Cup with the London Knights in 2025, then added the Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies in 2026, giving Leafs fans a glimpse of a prospect who has been around winning from the start.
Now there is a chance for something even stranger, and maybe unprecedented, if the Maple Leafs can finish the job in 2027. A Stanley Cup would give Cowan three straight championships in three different seasons, a run that is notable enough on its own and unusual enough that it is not even clear whether anyone has pulled it off before. [Read more 🡒]
Easton Cowan Suddenly Faces A Brutal Leafs Reality
The Maple Leafs spent the offseason piling up forward depth, and it has already made the picture around Easton Cowan a lot less straightforward. Toronto brought in Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Blueger, then added Gavin McKenna in the draft, all while Jack Roslovic is projected to fit into a top-six role. For a young winger trying to force his way into the mix, that kind of added competition changes the math quickly.
Cowan still has a path, but it may hinge on what he does in training camp and how quickly he can show he belongs against a deeper group of NHL options. If the Leafs decide he needs more reps and more confidence before carving out a role, the AHL could be the most realistic next stop. For now, his challenge is less about talent than timing, with Torontos roster leaving very little room to learn on the job. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Suddenly Look Like A Team Fans Should Fear Again
After missing the playoffs, the Maple Leafs have had a full offseason to rest, reset and reshape the roster for 2026-27. The headlining addition is rookie Gavin McKenna, but Toronto also brought in a group that adds depth and experience in different spots, including Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Brandon Duhaime, defenseman Darren Raddysh and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
It is the kind of broad roster makeover that can change the feel of a team quickly, especially for a club coming off a year that fell short of expectations. On paper, the mix gives Toronto more options up front, more stability on the back end and a new look in goal, which is enough to make the Leafs appear far more dangerous than they did a season ago, even if the real answer still has to wait for the games to start. [Read more 🡒]