The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. One of the most dynamic playmakers in this draft class, McKenna should give the Maple Leafs an offensive boost immediately.
McKenna just wrapped up his freshman season at Penn State, and the transition from junior hockey to the collegiate level wasn't a smooth one initially. However, after a slow start, McKenna found his groove and finished the season with 15 goals and 36 assists 35 games. His 51 points ranked third in the Big Ten, and McKenna led the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Minnesota-Duluth in the first round.
Prior to his career at Penn State, McKenna posted gaudy numbers with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. In 2024-25, McKenna tallied 41 goals and 88 points in 56 games while helping the Tigers capture a WHL title. McKenna and Medicine Hat fell just shy of a Memorial Cup title, losing to the London Knights in the championship game.
The 2025-26 season was a frustrating one for the Maple Leafs, and it resulted in sweeping changes as coach Craig Berube and general manager Brad Treliving were both fired in the offseason. However, that pain was eased when Toronto won the draft lottery in May, which was a huge break for a franchise facing a crossroads.
Between Auston Matthews and William Nylander, the Leafs have two superstars in the prime of their respective careers, but they haven't been able to capitalize on that with a deep playoff run. After losing Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights last summer, Toronto took a step back, and it needed to bolster the supporting cast around Matthews and Nylander. If Toronto is going to convince Matthews to stay beyond his current contract, which expires in 2028, it needs to sell him on a long-term vision. McKenna will certainly help in that regard.
It might be a bit much to ask McKenna to ride shotgun alongside Matthews right out of the gate, but he has the skill to make an instant impact. Can McKenna land among the best No. 1 picks of this century? If he can, that would be a huge boost to a Toronto offense that finished in the middle of the league last year.
With the No. 2 overall pick, the San Jose Sharks took Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, who pushed McKenna to be the top selection in this draft. San Jose adds yet another elite offensive weapon to its arsenal with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith already there. Stenberg will help replace William Eklund, who was recent traded to the Ottawa Senators.
Stay tuned here with CBS Sports as the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft continues. We'll have the full results and analysis once the opening round concludes.
Round 1
1. Toronto Maple Leafs -- Gavin McKenna (LW, Penn Sate, NCAA)
2. San Jose Sharks -- Ivar Stenberg (RW, Frölunda, SweHL)
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Buffalo Sabres (via Chicago)
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. San Jose Sharks (via Florida, Ottawa)
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit)
16. St. Louis Blues (via Washington)
17. Los Angeles Kings
18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim)
19. Utah Mammoth
20. Buffalo Sabres (via Edmonton, San Jose)
21. Philadelphia Flyers
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Utah Mammoth (via Boston)
24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota)
25. Ottawa Senators (via Tampa Bay, Seattle, Florida)
26. New York Rangers (via Dallas, Carolina)
27. San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo)
28. Montreal Canadiens
29. St. Louis Blues (via Colorado, New York Islanders)
30. Calgary Flames (via Vegas)
31. Carolina Hurricanes
32. Ottawa Senators
