McKenna Living With Tavares Is Great for the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are excited to have Gavin McKenna joining the team for the 2026-27 season, and it appears that he will be in the perfect environment to settle into the league during his rookie season.

According to Michael Traikos of The Hockey News, McKenna will live with former Leafs captain John Tavares for his first year in the league, continuing a regular trend of young players staying with the veteran forward during the early days of their careers. Last season, Tavares and his family hosted Easton Cowan during his rookie campaign, with the 21-year-old Strathroy, Ontario native registering 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 66 games. With a year under his belt, it appears Cowan has moved out of Tavares’ house, opening up a place for the incoming 18-year-old McKenna.

Beyond the obvious of ensuring a young rookie has a stable living arrangement during their debut season, there are some serious upsides to having McKenna living with Tavares specifically.

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Build Chemistry

While everyone is expecting the Toronto Maple Leafs to partner McKenna with Auston Matthews as early as possible, it appears more likely that he will begin life in the NHL playing on a line alongside Tavares. With him and potentially William Nylander as linemates, it should help him adapt to life in the league and provide him with plenty of chances to excel offensively.

Having McKenna live with Tavares could help the pair build chemistry on the ice by building a strong relationship off the ice. McKenna can ask Tavares questions, build his understanding of the game, and develop a strong working relationship that opens up the game for the youngster and lets him use his skills alongside the soon-to-be 36-year-old.

Being comfortable with the players around you will help McKenna make the jump to the NHL immediately after being drafted, and he can benefit greatly from his off-the-ice routines with Tavares, perhaps practicing together more often or going over game footage together at home to help him work out the most effective way for him to be a net positive when on the ice together.

Developing chemistry early is important, as it can help McKenna get into a rhythm and find his feet faster, avoiding the difficulties of overthinking and struggling to adapt to the bright lights of the NHL.

Watch a Model Professional

Not only could living with Tavares help develop chemistry between the pair, but it could also help McKenna develop into the kind of professional player the team wants and needs for the long-term.

Tavares is a model professional and still an important leader for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He conducts himself exceptionally, and he is the ideal role model for any young forward entering the league. From the way he works out, his routines, his family life, how he handles the media, and his conduct on the ice, there could be no better player for McKenna to watch throughout his rookie year.

The Leafs need McKenna to come in and be a pro almost immediately. Point expectations may not be particularly high, giving him time to develop and grow in the game, but he still needs to be dialed into what the team wants to achieve and how players should conduct themselves throughout the year.

That’s not to say that McKenna wouldn’t do that regardless, but having Tavares around him so much will naturally rub off on him, and the qualities that have allowed Tavares to be an elite player for such a long time in the NHL, and continue to do so even at his advanced age, will be sure to pay dividends for the Leafs when it comes to McKenna’s own personal development.

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