Gavin McKenna is already talking about how lethal he could be with Auston Matthews

Gavin McKenna is feeling confident ahead of the NHL Draft and already talking about his game plan with Auston Matthews before they've even touched the ice.

With the NHL Draft this upcoming Friday, all of the excitement, hype and hoopla around who is going first overall will be settled. The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the first pick and all signs are pointing to Gavin McKenna being chosen, and he would certainly bring a new dynamic to the lineup that's desperately needed.

Fans are hyped, the team seems extremely excited about his arrival, and the prospect himself is also feeling pretty elated regardless of where he goes, though he did mention that the Toronto Maple Leafs would certainly be a desirable destination no doubt.

Insanely marketable and a generational talent, McKenna would be no doubt a player that will improve the lineup considerably especially with the departure of Mitch Marner, and it sounds like McKenna knows the pressures coming in.

Gavin McKenna knows exactly how his talent can help elevate Auston Matthews in 2026-27

But he thrives on that pressure, and his latest comments ahead of the draft show that the teenager is amped up to get playing and knows that his talents can help any team - and he's already thinking about how he can form the next deadly duo.

McKenna told TSN's Gino Reda that the potential to play with Auston Matthews could unlock some incredible chemistry, and he's certainly confident that he can be the one to change the captain back into an offensive force once again:

I can think the game very well & I can find guys in spots where not many people can find them so if you put me with a shooter, it could be pretty lethal.

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You can't argue that McKenna wouldn't bring the playmaking ability as he has 207 assists since 2023-24 (World Juniors, WHL, and NCAA combined). That level of help is going to elevate not only Matthews but the rest of the lineup and their power-play could become scary especially with Darren Raddysh on the point.

McKenna's confidence isn't arrogant though - it's a teenager with a chip on his shoulders

Come on, it's not like McKenna doesn't know how good he is, but he's also extremely self aware of the pressures that come with not only being a first overall pick, but a generational talent in the biggest hockey market in the world.

But he thrives on that pressure and it's not that he's saying he's better than everyone but he knows that his specific talents can elevate a team. That's not subjective, and he wouldn't have been a consensus first overall pick for two years if he hadn't been able to back it up.

Knowing how important winning is to Toronto, and how much they have invested in improving the team and invested in him; he's going to do his damndest to pay them back. It's actually refreshing to see a player have such confidence and look forward to what comes of playing in Toronto.

He's not running from the media, he's embracing every challenge that comes his way, and you've got to have a little bit of swagger in this modern game, and young fans are going to gravitate to the teenager almost immediately.

There's a lot of hope for the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Gavin McKenna is going to be a huge focal point - and we only have a few days left to wait.

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