Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna first overall in 2026 NHL Draft

Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna first overall in 2026 NHL Draft

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Penn State forward Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick at the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday, June 26. Held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, the selection of the consensus top prospect marks the arrival of the 18-year-old Canadian forward in what has been described as the hockey capital of the world.

McKenna, characterized as an offensively gifted player with a dynamic personality, has already expressed his ambitions for the future. He aims to secure a spot on the Maple Leafs' first line alongside Auston Matthews.

Following the selection, the Maple Leafs held a press conference featuring General Manager John Chayka, McKenna, and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin. Sundin, a franchise icon who was also a first-overall pick in Toronto, offered guidance to the teenager regarding the pressures of the city's massive fan base.

"Gavin is going to be an unbelievable asset for the Toronto Maple Leafs for a long, long time," Sundin said on Saturday morning. "I think the most important advice I can give to Gavin is to stay true to himself. If there's anything different in Toronto from other markets, it's the size of the fan base, interest from the city -- it's the hockey capital of the world."

Mats Sundin, senior executive advisor, via Editorinleaf

While focusing on the future with McKenna, Toronto remained active in managing its current roster and draft assets. On Saturday, the Maple Leafs traded defenseman Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues. In exchange, Toronto acquired two third-round picks, specifically the 73rd and 76th overall selections. Carlo had been with Toronto since being acquired from the Boston Bruins before last season's trade deadline in a deal that included center Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. During his time with Toronto, Carlo recorded 10 assists in 75 regular-season games.

The Maple Leafs continued their draft-day additions on Saturday during the second through seventh rounds. Toronto selected Alexander Bilecki, a left-handed defenseman from the Kitchener Rangers, with the 60th overall pick. A native of Mississauga, Ont., Bilecki recently helped the Rangers secure an OHL championship and a Memorial Cup title.

Bilecki's statistics from the past OHL regular season include nine goals and 29 points across 66 contests. In 18 post-season games, he added two goals and 11 points. During the Memorial Cup tournament, he recorded three assists and a plus-five rating in four games. While he was the third-highest scoring defenseman for his team in both the regular season and playoffs, he sat behind captain Cameron Reid on the depth chart as the team's quarterback. With Reid moving to the University of Michigan, Bilecki is expected to see increased ice time if he remains with the Rangers next year.

The draft featured several other notable movements and selections across the league:

• The Pittsburgh Penguins selected twin brothers from Osoyoos, B.C., who played for the Medicine Hat Tigers. Liam was taken 22nd overall on Friday, and Markus, a center, was selected 39th overall on Saturday. Both are slated to play one more WHL season before attending the University of North Dakota in 2027-28.
• The Vancouver Canucks took center Brooks Rogowski at No. 33 to open the second round, followed by the Calgary Flames selecting winger Chase Harrington three picks later.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning used the 90th overall pick on 20-year-old right-handed defenseman Tomas Kralovic from HC Slovan Bratislava. Kralovic recorded six goals and 31 points in 52 regular season games and four goals and six points in 17 playoff games.
• The San Jose Sharks took winger Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 overall.
• The Vancouver Canucks selected center Caleb Malhotra at No. 3 overall.
• The Buffalo Sabres took defenseman Daxon Rudolph at No. 4 overall.

The draft also saw significant veteran movement, including the New York Rangers acquiring forward Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights. Dorofeyev, who led Vegas with 37 goals in the 2025-26 season, reportedly signed a seven-year extension with the Rangers valued at $11 million per season.