Inside Gavin McKenna’s Mind on the Verge of the NHL Draft

Gavin McKenna sat down with Sportsnet’s Shawn McKenzie right on the eve of the draft, and a lot of the talk was about the big “what if” questions. For example, what would it feel like to hear your name called first overall? And what kind of role could he realistically have if that happened with the Maple Leafs?

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McKenna Noted How Much Fun It Would Be to Play in the Playoffs

McKenzie first asked McKenna about the emotions around the possibility of going number one. McKenna said he’s excited. However, it’s also been pretty fast-moving with his family having to get through the whole whirlwind of draft-week stuff. He also talked about how you can’t totally stop thinking about projections. And, if those predictions turn out right, then going first overall to the Maple Leafs would be a pretty unreal situation.

No wonder, it would basically be a “lottery pick” scenario where the team is already built to push for the playoffs. When McKenzie asked what his game would look like alongside players like Auston Matthews and William Nylander, McKenna said he thinks he could complement them. He framed it as a lucky fit. If Toronto is picking him, they’re expecting him to match the core’s style and add something that helps the team win.

McKenna Enjoyed His Time Visiting Toronto and Was Glad Chayka Came to the Yukon

McKenzie also asked about his time in Toronto, and McKenna said it was fun. It wasn’t just hockey-related. He got to go to a soccer game and even took in a World Cup match, which he called a cool experience. He said he got to bring his grandparents and parents, too, which made it extra memorable.

Then the conversation shifted to the Maple Leafs’ GM, John Chayka. McKenna said it meant a lot that Chayka made the trip to meet him on his home ground in the Yukon because it wasn’t a quick flight all the way up to Whitehorse. He talked about showing him around and giving him an “outdoor experience,” including taking him up on a side-by-side to see the top of the mountain and look over the city.

McKenna Would Carry Yukon Pride With Him to the Maple Leafs

Finally, when McKenzie asked how coming from the Yukon shaped him, McKenna said it shaped him a lot. He carried the pride of where he’s from. The community support he has received has helped him reach this point.

It was interesting to listen to McKenna talk because he was so family- and community-oriented. Perhaps that’s where the questions led him. But you got the sense, too, that he carried his community with him and appreciated his family a great deal. That’s not such a bad look for a young guy.

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