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Maple Leafs Take Gavin McKenna No. 1 Overall at 2026 NHL Draft

The selection finalizes a completed first round and helps shape team prospect plans as the draft moves into rounds two through seven.

Overview

  • Toronto used the No. 1 overall pick to select forward Gavin McKenna, a choice announced on stage Friday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
  • Round one is complete with a published list of all 32 first‑round picks, including Washington’s selection of Finnish center Oliver Suvanto at No. 18.
  • Multiple draft‑day trades, notably transactions involving Buffalo and San Jose, altered the top‑of‑board order and redistributed assets between teams.
  • The draft continued Saturday with rounds two through seven beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET for 191 additional selections, carried on NHL Network, ESPN+ and Sportsnet.
  • This year’s decentralized format kept clubs offsite for picks, which concentrates scouting and roster planning on the teams’ front offices and will shape off‑season prospect pipelines.