Gavin McKenna is taking his first overall moment in the most down-to-earth way

Toronto brought Gavin McKenna into his first Toronto media scrum as the first overall pick got a taste of what to expect but he's excited about the opportunity.

The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Gavin McKenna first overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and while it was pretty much foregone conclusion, it nonetheless set off a firestorm of excitement in the Scotiabank Arena as fans were absolutely overjoyed to finally have McKenna in the fold.

The reaction was unanimously positive and it was only a matter of time before McKenna appeared in front of the Toronto media to give his thoughts on the wild night he had.

We did not have to wait too long though, as the Maple Leafs introduced McKenna to the media on Saturday morning and while it wasn't a long appearance - roughly 20 minutes or so - there was a lot to take in and it feels like all parties can't wait to get started.

Gavin McKenna's personality out in full force as he appears to the Toronto media for the first time

John Chayka gave his usual introductory speech which thanked the media, all of the Maple Leafs staff, and McKenna before explaining how important this pick is for the franchise. Mats Sundin also made a brief statement about how excited he was to have McKenna in the organization and called him a very special person.

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But all eyes were on McKenna and what he would say and honestly, for an 18-year old with immense pressure on his shoulders; he was cool as a cucumber.

When asked about last night, McKenna admitted it was a crazy time but that he was able to settle down with his family a bit after and then make his way to Toronto where he even brought a buddy for a little hangout:

It was busy last night but once I was done I got to go home, hang out with my family, pack up my bags and head to Toronto. Brought a buddy, had a little sleepover [chuckles] and now we're here.

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Then attention turned to hockey, as McKenna was asked about what his training plan would be and whether he would be staying in Toronto, heading back home to Whitehorse, or another alternative. McKenna was honest in admitting he didn't know 100% and his current plan is to keep training in Kelowna:

The plan right now is go back to Kelowna for a bit, train there and see where that goes. It's hard to say what the plan is, but it's back to Kelowna right now (training).

And finally, and potentially the most important, McKenna was asked about the community and how he'll fit in. He was more than complementary about the Toronto fans and looks forward to meeting everyone and being a part of the bigger picture:

Toronto as a city is an amazing place, they love their sports and they love their hockey team. They have a ton of passionate fans and I am lucky to be here...people would come up before I was even drafted when I was here and ask for pictures, they seem like great people and it'll be fun to get to meet these people.

That right there is a huge reason as to why Chayka and everyone were so confident in drafting McKenna was due to his ability to be more than a hockey player and someone who can be a leader on and off the ice.

Maple Leafs are lucky to have McKenna, but he's also lucky to have Mats Sundin

But if there's one thing we can take away that may be overlooked a bit is how vital McKenna and Sundin's relationship is going to be. As a former first overall pick, Sundin knows the pressures that come with that and the pressures of playing in hockey's capital.

He's going to be a great fountain of knowledge and Sundin admitted that the best thing that McKenna can do is stay true to himself both on and off the ice. That's advice Sundin followed his entire career and he was a leader in every facet of the game and became a Hall of Famer.

McKenna is as good a human being as he is a hockey player so if he can be someone who rallies the guys in the locker room and the wider Toronto community through being his natural, charming, and generous personality - then he's the complete package.

There wasn't too much in the way of lineup fit, or anything regarding on-ice activities beyond inquiring about his training routine but it'll only be a matter of time before we see him on the ice in development camp and we get our first taste of Maple Leafs McKenna.

The pressure is at an all time high, but from the sounds of it? Gavin McKenna will have no problems dealing with it. He's done so his entire life after all.

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