NHL insider confirmed McKenna's destination after what just went down
The Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick is starting to look like a closed conversation.
Chris Johnston of TSN reported on Wednesday that Leafs staff have already made the trip up to Whitehorse, Gavin McKenna's hometown in the Yukon.
"I don't view that as a full tell on their intentions," Johnston cautioned. "The industry sense I get is it's likely gonna be McKenna for the Leafs."
That's the strongest public signal yet that Brad Treliving's group is locked in on the consensus No.1 prospect. Scouts don't fly to Whitehorse to do due diligence on a player they're not interviewing seriously.
McKenna is the player who skipped the IIHF World Championship to focus on combine prep and added strength work. The decision drew some heat publicly. Anton Stenberg used the tournament to climb draft boards.
The Leafs' homework apparently isn't wavering. McKenna's Hobey Baker finalist NCAA season and 2-points-per-game World Junior Championship run are doing the talking in Toronto's draft room.
What the McKenna pick changes for Brad Treliving's summer
Toronto finished 28th overall at 32-36-14 with 78 points. The Leafs got hit with the kind of lottery luck that doesn't show up for franchises with this much cap committed at the top.
McKenna walking into that environment isn't a small thing. The Leafs need a young engine. The pipeline needs a face. The fanbase needs a reset.
The 18-year-old projects as a top-line center who can run a power play immediately. That's exactly the kind of piece Treliving needs to complement Auston Matthews if he stays, or replace him if he doesn't.
Pierre LeBrun reported this week that Anaheim could be on Matthews' list of preferred destinations if the captain ever opens himself to a move. The McKenna pick changes that conversation in a real way.
Honestly, this is the kind of insider report that quietly closes a draft conversation weeks before the actual cards turn. Johnston doesn't put names like McKenna in his column without knowing exactly what he's saying.
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The Leafs are also still working through a head-coach search after the off-season firing. Whoever lands behind that bench inherits both a complicated veteran core and a brand-new franchise piece.
McKenna's camp has stayed quiet through the pre-draft process. He's been focused on training. The combine still has to happen. The interview rooms still matter.
Treliving's phone keeps ringing on multiple fronts. The draft is June 26. The picture is getting clearer by the day.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 27, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| William Carrier | - | - | - | |
| Cole Caufield | - | - | - | |
| Kirby Dach | - | - | - | |
| Phillip Danault | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Demidov | - | - | - | |
| Jakub Dobes | - | - | - | |
| Noah Dobson | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||