Gavin McKenna forces the Maple Leafs to balance two timelines Toronto has never had before

Last season was one to forget for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but winning the 2026 Draft Lottery gave them Gavin McKenna and created a roster challenge few teams ever get.

McKenna's three-year entry-level contract gives Toronto a defined development window at the same time Matthews is approaching the final two seasons of his current deal. That overlap is what makes this roster construction so unusual.

Going into this season, there are some hefty expectations being placed upon the Penn State standout. He is someone who could realistically play on the top line alongside Auston Matthews, although there are no guarantees. Simply put, McKenna is going to have to earn his role.

However, the addition of McKenna has put the Maple Leafs in a position every team would be envious of. Not only do they have a future face of the franchise, but they also have the current face of the franchise, Auston Matthews.

Auston Matthews' timeline gives Toronto a reason to accelerate Gavin McKenna

Since scoring 69 goals during the 2023-24 season, Matthews has struggled. He had 33 goals in the 2024-25 season, and 27 goals in 60 games last season, before an injury knocked him out for good.

However, he is turning 29 years old going into this season, which means he is well within his prime. Add a clean bill of health and an offensive-minded head coach like Jim Hiller into the mix, and Matthews is already in a position to succeed.

That creates a temptation for Toronto to accelerate McKenna by placing him alongside Matthews immediately, where his playmaking could complement one of the league's best shooters. But that should only happen if McKenna proves he can handle the matchup difficulty and defensive responsibility that comes with top-line minutes.

For McKenna, this is an opportunity to see how the best players in the league operate. It can springboard him into a high-volume offensive role. A trial by fire that will truly test him against some of the league's best defensive matchups. It's a high-risk, high-reward move that could establish the Maple Leafs' first line as one of the most feared in the entire NHL.

The bigger concern is developmental: top-line deployment would expose McKenna immediately to elite defensive matchups, harder minutes and less margin for mistakes than he would see in a sheltered middle-six role.

No matter what, Matthews' prime will not last forever, and his current contract gives Toronto a limited window to maximize this version of the roster while McKenna is still developing.

McKenna's development timeline may require Toronto to resist the obvious move

If you were to ignore the Matthews angle, it becomes clear that McKenna's development is something the Leafs cannot afford to mess up. Instead of putting him on the top line, or even the second line, they should be focused on the role that makes McKenna a better NHL player.

Perhaps a middle-six role can help him acclimate to the pace and size of NHL players. Instead of going up against the league's best every night, his competition would be a lot less severe. Furthermore, the expectations would be lowered, and he would be able to just focus on playing hockey and getting better. His mistakes would potentially be less pronounced, and that's important for a young star learning the ropes.

There is also the potential to put him on the first power play unit as a way to give him a taste of true NHL offensive responsibility. With the Leafs looking to improve upon their 21.3% power play efficiency from last season, McKenna could very well be what the team needs.

Toronto will also eventually have to decide whether McKenna's development is better served by staying in the NHL through the World Juniors or temporarily joining Team Canada for another high-pressure international tournament.

Toronto's challenge is to avoid treating those priorities as the same thing. The best lineup for maximizing Matthews today may not always be the best environment for McKenna's long-term development, and John Chayka and Jim Hiller will have to decide when those timelines should overlap and when they should remain separate.

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