Gavin McKenna’s pro career is officially underway.

The former Penn State men’s hockey star made his NHL preseason debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena, 85 days after Toronto took him first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Maple Leafs fell 4-1 to the Montreal Canadiens, but McKenna had a strong night. He had three shots on goal and played 20:39, mostly at left wing on a line with veterans John Tavares and William Nylander.

McKenna also saw time on Toronto’s second power-play unit. When the Leafs pulled their goalie late in the third period, down 2-1, head coach Jim Hiller sent McKenna out as the extra skater.

The crowd was ready for McKenna’s debut.

According to NHL.com, McKenna got the loudest cheer of any player when he was announced in the starting lineup, and that’s when the moment sank in for the Whitehorse, Yukon, native.

“That starting lineup call was pretty cool,” McKenna told NHL.com. “I’ll remember this day forever.”

McKenna’s debut wasn’t perfect. He took a hooking penalty on his third shift of the first period. He also credited a couple of turnovers to nerves.

However, in the second period, McKenna kept the puck on a 2-on-1 with Nylander and fired from the right faceoff dot. Later, on a power play, he beat a defender with a quick step and got a shot off from the bottom of the circle.

McKenna’s start had its ups and downs, but it was just the preseason.

“I felt pretty good. I thought I created a bit but also had a couple turnovers, which I think kind of just happens with nerves,” McKenna said. “But like I said, I think it was a good start and a lot to build on.”

Hiller liked what he saw.

The Maple Leafs head coach said McKenna was in on three or four scoring chances in his debut. His one piece of advice was for McKenna to get closer to the puck instead of waiting for it to come to him, something he expects the 18-year-old to pick up quickly.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was impressed too, especially since McKenna had only two practices before the game.

“He was good, you can just tell,” Matthews said. “It’s not easy to jump into your first game after a very short two practices and then right into a preseason game in the NHL.

“I think he’s got a great head on his shoulders, he’s going to continue to get better as camp goes on and gets more comfortable and adjusts to this pace of play. But he had moments out there where you can tell just how skilled and how talented he is and what he can do.”

McKenna even rode to the rink with Tavares on gameday. He said he wasn’t as nervous as he expected, and he’s been soaking it all in since arriving in Toronto.

“I think the whole time I’ve been here I’ve been thinking, ‘This is pretty cool,'” he said.

About the Author