The Maple Leafs are keeping Gavin McKenna in Toronto, and they’re not apologizing for it.
Toronto Marlies head coach Steve Sullivan confirmed that the highly touted rookie will not travel with the club’s prospects to Gatineau this weekend for the Prospects Challenge. McKenna was on the ice with teammates Friday and took part in the opening dinner, but that’s as far as his weekend involvement will go. He won’t play in the tournament, and he won’t make the trip.
“Management’s made the decision to have him participate last night, with the opening dinner, also have him practice here with the group,” Sullivan said. “But what’s best for him is to stay here, continue to train with the NHL players and get prepared for a big season.”
The logic is pretty clear. Toronto wants McKenna rested, but it also wants him protected.
Prospect events can get messy fast, especially when lesser-known players are trying to turn heads against the biggest name in the building. Fans quickly zeroed in on that risk once the news started circulating, and the reaction leaned heavily toward approval.
“Making sure no player wanting to make a name for himself runs him over at this tournament. Stay in Toronto.
Good plan,” wrote one fan. Another added, “Actually probably the right decision we know how cheap shot artists get in this who wanna make a name for themselves.”
For a team that is clearly thinking long-term with McKenna, keeping him out of harm’s way is the kind of move that makes sense. The Leafs aren’t looking for a showcase moment here; they’re looking at the bigger picture.
McKenna, for his part, sounded comfortable with the call. “I was just doing whatever the team wanted me to do,” he told the media. “Obviously it would be fun to play some games, but they think me staying here is best, and I’m okay with that.”
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Could Make Bottom Six A Lot More Interesting
The Maple Leafs have already added one Raddysh, bringing in defenseman Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade with Tampa Bay, and that move has naturally opened the door to some family-based roster chatter around Toronto. With the bottom six still an area the club could keep tinkering with, Taylor Raddysh has emerged as a possible fit if the New York Rangers decide their roster situation forces their hand.
For Toronto, the appeal is easy to see. Taylor Raddysh would give the Leafs another depth option with enough familiarity around the league to help settle a role in the lineup, and the idea of pairing brothers in the same organization only adds to the intrigue. Whether it becomes more than speculation depends on how the Rangers handle their constraints, but it is the sort of possibility that keeps this part of the roster worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Max Domi's Absence Suddenly Changes How Leafs Fans See Summer Moves
Max Domis status has quickly become one of the more notable subplots around Maple Leafs camp, with the veteran forward not expected to attend because of complications from offseason surgery. It is the kind of development that can reshape how a summer is judged, because Toronto spent the offseason building a deeper middle of the lineup and did not do it by accident.
Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and Jack Roslovic all arrived as part of that push to fortify the forward group, and the Leafs cap situation and roster construction now look like signs the team was preparing for this possibility. Even before camp opened, Toronto seemed to understand there was a chance Domi might not be ready to start the season, and his absence puts a brighter spotlight on those additions right away. [Read more 🡒]
Max Domi Just Gave The Maple Leafs A Real Camp Problem
Max Domi is suddenly one of the biggest questions hanging over Maple Leafs camp, and not because of anything happening on the ice. General manager John Chayka said the forward will not be ready when training camp opens and will remain out indefinitely after complications from off-season surgery, leaving Toronto to sort through a notable absence before the real work even begins.
The Leafs have not said what procedure Domi had or what went wrong afterward, and the uncertainty adds another layer to a situation the club would rather have settled by now. Domi, who has two seasons left on his contract, plans to speak publicly about the injury at the appropriate time, but for the moment Toronto is left waiting on a key veteran and hoping this issue does not linger deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]