NHL News

Current Maple Leaf Lobbying for Swedish Prospect Over Gavin McKenna?

Oliver Ekman-Larsson isn’t shying away from voicing who he wants the Maple Leafs to take with the first-overall pick.

by
Jackson Weber
May 9, 2026

Now that it’s fully started to sink in that the Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery and will be picking first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft in June, all of the conversation has shifted to what they will do with the pick.

While new GM John Chayka and executive advisor Mats Sundin have plenty of options, the consensus from Leafs Nation and the hockey world has been to take uber-talented winger Gavin McKenna.

They very well could still do that, and it feels like the most likely scenario. However, Swedish center Ivar Stenberg shouldn’t be counted out, and current Maple Leaf Oliver Ekman-Larsson is certainly hoping his fellow countryman lands in Toronto.

Ekman-Larsson said:

“You probably didn’t expect that the night before. It was only a nine percent chance, so it was a fun piece of news to wake up to. It’s obviously great for the city and the fans, but also for us as a team.

He’s a fantastic player. He really showed that at the World Juniors, which I watched, but also here with the national team. He’s not here just to be here — he’s here because he belongs at this level and wants to contribute. I feel the same way about all the junior players here. They don’t play like juniors; they just go out there and play. They contribute so much. It’s really fun getting to know them, being around them, and seeing them up close. It’s fantastic… Yeah, I’m trying to recruit him a little bit,”

The 18-year-old Stenberg tallied 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games for Frolunda HC of the SHL this season.

McKenna is certainly the flashier, big-name star who has been hyped up for years as the top prospect in this class. Stenberg, on the other hand, has continued to prove he belongs in the discussion, seen as the more well-rounded player and possibly even better suited to make the jump to the NHL immediately because of it.

You also have to wonder whether the Swedish connection between Sundin and Stenberg could have any impact on the Maple Leafs’ decision-making. It’s all talk and speculation for now, though you can expect plenty more of it to surface over the next two months until the pick is finally made on June 26 in Buffalo.

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