Toronto Maple Leafs

A McKenna 60-Point Rookie Season Means More Than Bunting’s

Michael Bunting scored 63 points beside Matthews. So why shouldn’t Gavin McKenna match it? The expectations, however, are very different.

by
Old Prof
August 13, 2026

So far, in all the talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Gavin McKenna and his projected season, the one thing I haven’t seen is any mention of Michael Bunting’s rookie season. McKenna gets a chance, as Bunting did before him, to potentially play on the first line with Auston Matthews. So the obvious question is: What could McKenna do on Matthews’ wing?

Both had expectations thrown at them. But were the situations different? There’s been some concern that fans might expect too much of McKenna and perhaps should be happy enough with a 60-point season. The pressure and all that. But Bunting put up a 60-point season, so why can’t McKenna?

Shouldn’t McKenna Be Expected to Score More than Bunting Did?

However, are hockey analysts simply overthinking the pressure? Are the starting points basically on two different planets? If not, what’s the difference?

Bunting’s story is almost unfair in a good way. When he broke out in 2021-22, he was 26, already mature, and he was on a cheap contract. Nobody was treating him like a franchise cornerstone. The job was pretty simple: be hard to play against, bring energy, get in dirty areas, finish plays when you get a chance, and don’t mess up the line.

Then suddenly he got an actual opportunity by being placed next to Matthews/Marner, and he absolutely cashed in. When the season was over, he had put up 23 goals, 63 points, and came in third in Calder voting. That’s not to say he didn’t have pressure, but there were fewer expectations that went with his role. He beat the low-to-moderate bar, not the “prove you’re the future” bar.

McKenna Carries Some Heavy Baggage into His First NHL Season

Now look at McKenna. He’s the No. 1 overall pick, 18 years old, fresh off a big junior/college run, and he’s walking into a Toronto reset year that already has a spotlight on him that doesn’t exactly make development easier. People aren’t just hoping he’s solid. They’re expecting him to look like a difference-maker quickly. He’s being viewed as the next big piece after Matthews. And because he’s projected to be part of the “next core,” every shift carries this extra meaning. It’s less about if he can contribute and more about whether he will become the guy who might change everything.

Age and experience matter too. Bunting had already been through years of grinding against grown men before he landed in the NHL. McKenna is still adjusting to speed, physicality, and the nonstop 82-game reality. And Toronto’s microscope? It doesn’t pause for development.

Gavin McKenna Maple Leafs media — Gavin McKenna Maple Leafs

So Could McKenna Score as Much as Bunting Did?

Sure, he could. But asking “if Bunting got 63 with Matthews, why not McKenna?” kind of skips the real difference: Bunting exceeded expectations because the bar was lower and the role was clearer. McKenna’s challenge is that the bar is higher and the timetable is faster. And, at the same time, he’s on a learning curve to become a professional.

Perhaps McKenna will score 70 points in his rookie season. That would be helpful. But it isn’t the bottom line for him. The bottom line is helping to extend the Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup window with Matthews. If he can do that, that’s the best thing that could happen for this franchise.