Auston Matthews may be the reason Gavin McKenna can skip the usual rookie treatment

Gavin McKenna may be able to avoid the traditional rookie route and start besi Auston Matthews right away as it allows him to thrive without needing to do it alone.

There's a lot of pressure and expectations surrounding what McKenna can offer the Maple Leafs not only now, but as a future franchise cornerstone. He's going to need time to acclimate to the NHL, and though he has a great mentor in Auston Matthews and a staff dedicated to keeping him healthy - there's still going to be growing pains.

Often times, rookies are susceptible to struggling in their first season and often warrant a reset or perhaps a bit of a slower start in order to get their feet wet before feelings fully comfortable with the speed of the NHL game.

Matthews can take the hardest jobs off McKenna's plate

But TSN's Travis Yost believes that McKenna can avoid that situation and instead of easing the rookie into intense situations - they should allow him to earn his stripes in tough situations:

Why I like McKenna playing with Matthews right away is, right out of the frying pan into the fire... McKenna as a player, that slicey-ness [sic], that agility, it's not Mitch Marner but he's got a different element he brings to the player that you have to imagine a freakish goal-scorer like Auston Matthews will benefit from.

Is it a lot of pressure to put on an 18-year-old? Of course but he's the first overall pick and we've seen players in the past thrive when given the minutes and playing with good players.

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Yost also mentioned that Toronto has the supporting cast around McKenna to make his transition easier as opposed to other players like Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini who had stellar individual seasons but had little in the way of offensive support.

Playing alongside Matthews means that McKenna won't need to drive a line by himself nor will he need to do the majority of the work. Matthews already gets a ton of attention by nature of his deadly scoring ability which will ease some pressure on McKenna and allow him a bit more room to position himself.

Knowing the main focus is getting Matthews the puck, he can help dictate the pace alongside his captain and his 36 assists in 35 games last year is proof he's got the talent. McKenna's focus on pace and keeping possession allows Matthews more time to find space, or if opponents are worried about him scoring - give McKenna more of a lane to shoot if he wants.

He doesn't have to be a superstar and carry the team right away, but the Maple Leafs can give him a taste of that experience without any added pressure.

Sheltering McKenna could end up actually hindering his development

Another way Toronto can give McKenna less pressure is by simply placing him lower in the lineup but that is not conducive to positive development. Fewer minutes does not automatically translate to easier transition and McKenna's lack of time could prevent him from getting comfortable quicker.

There wouldn't be as much skill around him and would necessitate him to drive the offence completely, both being a finisher and someone who needs to playmake, gather pucks, and direct the rest of his line.

You can just as easily protect McKenna from danger by giving him players who can cover if he makes mistakes, and players who can ease that offensive burden. He's good enough to do it alone but it doesn't mean he should or needs to.

It may actually be better for McKenna to face these pressures head on because it's going to only get more intense from here. If he can prove that high-intensity situations and the spotlight doesn't bother him quickly, then Toronto can be confident in him fulfilling their expectations.

Celebrini was a focal point of the Sharks offence when he debuted with 63 points, as was Bedard and his 61 points - and Matthews scored 40 in his first year. All three players have since thrived and embraced the pressure placed upon them and used it to put together some incredible seasons.

McKenna could be the next person to join them, so long as the Maple Leafs surround him with the pieces that make his debut a smoother transition than others may have had.

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