“This Is the Plan for Now”: Why the Maple Leafs Are Keeping McKenna Away From Matthews

Gavin McKenna’s long-awaited NHL debut is coming into focus — and it doesn’t include Auston Matthews. At least not yet.

The Maple Leafs will open training camp with their 18-year-old phenom skating alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, not on Matthews’ wing. New head coach Jim Hiller all but signaled the move at Wednesday’s media day, saying the team didn’t want to “get too far ahead of ourselves” with McKenna’s role.

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Hiller says the decision involved plenty of deliberation. “You’d be surprised at how much goes into a decision on where a player starts, a player of that stature starts,” he said. The goal was twofold — put McKenna in a position to succeed, while also setting up the rest of the roster for success.

There’s real upside to the pairing. McKenna’s passing ability could be a boost for both Tavares and Nylander, neither of whom has had a true elite playmaker on their wing in recent years. But the line also raises defensive questions, pairing a rookie with a 36-year-old centre and a winger who has had inconsistent defensive engagement.

“I’m concerned about every line in the defensive zone, to be honest with you,” Hiller said. “But yeah, when you look at that line, you’re gonna say, OK, that looks like it might be their biggest challenge.”

Meanwhile, Matthews opens camp with Matthew Knies and Jack Roslovic. The team lacks a legitimate passer, but Matthews is intrigued by the idea of putting Roslovic—a very skilled forward—on that line.

The bigger question is how long the Maple Leafs can keep McKenna away from Matthews. Toronto has been down this road before, when a previous coaching staff famously kept Matthews and Mitch Marner apart. Many believe that McKenna and Matthews together are inevitable. It’s more a matter of when, and not if.

The Line Combinations Are Fluid in Toronto

For now, Hiller insists nothing is locked in. “We’re not setting any ceiling on him at all,” he said. “We’re gonna let him dictate where he falls.” If McKenna proves to be too good not to put him with the team’s top star, one can bet the Leafs will give that combination a look. If they find immediate chemistry, why split them apart?

The pairing with Matthews will happen eventually. The only question is when — and what has to go wrong, or right, before it does.

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