Overview
- The Athletic’s latest mock-draft projection and multiple outlets place Penn State forward Gavin McKenna at or near the top of boards, making him the clear favorite for the Maple Leafs’ No. 1 pick.
- Scouts and reporters describe the gap between McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg as very small, with McKenna prized for dynamic playmaking and Stenberg valued for pro experience and two-way play.
- Toronto’s front office has conducted intensive in-person evaluations and background checks on McKenna, but team insiders and media coverage say the club has not ruled out selecting a different player or trading the pick.
- The blockbuster trade that sent Brady Tkachuk to Florida rearranged the first-round order and pushed the Ottawa Senators into new drafting choices, with mock drafters split between taking a skater like Ethan Belchetz or a defenseman such as Alberts Šmits at No. 9.
- McKenna’s high-level production in the WHL and NCAA and Stenberg’s strong SHL season are shaping a tight pre-draft narrative that will be resolved when teams make their selections later this week in Buffalo.