The Maple Leafs got the kind of breakthrough they were waiting for Tuesday night, and Gavin McKenna may have taken his first real step toward settling in under the Toronto microscope.
McKenna picked up his first NHL goal and assist in the same game, a welcome turnaround after a difficult opening stretch that had already become a talking point. He also made it to the optional morning skate, which stood out after the attention his earlier absences drew, and he leaned into the moment afterward by joking that he had finally had his “welcome to the NHL” moment after hearing nonstop chatter about his slow start. Matthews said the goal would take real weight off McKenna’s shoulders, and there’s clearly optimism around the room that the rookie can build from here.
The story got a little more personal, too. McKenna half-jokingly said a sleepover with Matthews over the weekend might have helped spark the breakthrough, adding that they might need to make it a weekly thing.
Whether it was superstition or just a lighthearted sign of chemistry, it underscored the bond he’s forming with the captain - someone who knows exactly what pressure in Toronto feels like. With the first goal out of the way, the hope is simple: McKenna shoots more, stops overpassing, and starts playing with more confidence.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers made a much different kind of move, but one that says plenty about where they are right now. Michael Bunting finally found a landing spot, agreeing to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with the Flyers after remaining unsigned well into the season.
That signing came against the backdrop of a rough start for Philadelphia, which has managed just five goals through four games. This looks less like a long-planned pickup and more like Daniel Briere trying to inject some offense into a lineup that needs help fast. Bunting’s track record still matters - especially his 23-goal season with Toronto in 2021-22 - but injuries likely played a big role in why the market never really came together for him this summer.
At 31 and on a low-risk deal, Bunting is a depth swing, not a major bet. Still, for a team looking for any sort of spark, it’s the kind of cheap move that makes sense.
And then there’s the Oilers’ trade mystery, which has people trying to connect dots without a name attached.
An NHL insider said Edmonton has been in trade conversations for weeks with an Eastern Conference team about a young center who is still trying to prove himself at the NHL level, and the Oilers are reportedly in front. Kirby Dach was the first name to jump out, but that doesn’t really fit the description, since his issue is health rather than whether he belongs. The name that’s started to gain traction is Boston’s Matt Poitras, a young center with upside who just made his season debut after an injury, though nothing has been confirmed and the insider did not identify him directly.
For now, there doesn’t seem to be any pressure forcing a deal. Edmonton is expected to get healthier soon with Jason Dickinson set to return, and if Boston doesn’t like the shape of the offer, this could end up being the kind of conversation that goes nowhere.
In Other News...
Auston Matthews Just Gave Leafs Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Auston Matthews gave the Maple Leafs exactly the kind of night they have been waiting for, driving Toronto to a comeback victory over the Nashville Predators with a performance that felt like a reminder of what he can still mean to this team. He was all over the score sheet, helping fuel the rally and giving the Leafs a lift at a time when any sign of rhythm from their captain is going to draw attention.
Matthews has opened the season with five points in four games, a pace that suggests he is settling in fast after a stretch where his level of play was under the microscope. The bigger picture for Toronto is simple: if this version of Matthews is here to stay, the Leafs suddenly have a much better reason to believe their top player is moving back toward the form that once made him one of the leagues most dominant forces. [Read more 🡒]
Gavin McKennas Breakthrough Came After One Unusual Leafs Twist
Gavin McKennas first few days with the Maple Leafs were already drawing attention, but the real breakthrough arrived in a comeback win that gave the rookie his first NHL goal and his first career point. It came in his fourth game, a milestone moment that fit the kind of early-season spark Toronto has been looking for as it tries to keep building momentum.
What made the day stand out even before the puck dropped was McKenna showing up for the optional morning skate, a small detail that did not go unnoticed by fans or media around the team. Auston Matthews even suggested McKenna could be in line for more after getting that first one, and for a player still settling into his NHL footing, that kind of confidence can matter as much as the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Gavin McKenna Just Gave Leafs Fans A Needed Reason To Watch
Amid a game that had already tilted the wrong way, the Maple Leafs got a small lift from a new face Monday night in Nashville. Gavin McKenna, still looking to find his footing at the NHL level, helped set up John Tavares for a goal early in the second period, giving Toronto a bit of life while it trailed 3-2.
The sequence was simple enough, but it mattered for a player trying to settle in and for a team trying to pull itself back into the night. McKennas pass helped create a moment the Leafs could build on, and for a fan base always searching for signs of what comes next, it was at least one reason to keep watching. [Read more 🡒]