Gavin McKenna is likely to be drafted first overall and if so, the Maple Leafs are getting someone to elevate the lineup - with the phenom confident in his ability.
Presumed #1 draft pick Gavin McKenna has a ton of hype surrounding him but underneath that hype lies the potential for him to be generational. He's someone who can bring out the best in everyone and is one of the most creative and dynamic playmaking prospects we've seen in some time.
He's also feisty as can be, and isn't afraid to show some attitude. While you can blame that partially on being a teenager, that's a facet of the game that you need in today's modern NHL and for a team like Toronto; they need it.
Gavin McKenna believes he can be impactful immediately while bringing some genuine excitement
Toronto holding the first pick means they are likely to nab McKenna. But what exactly are they getting besides immense hype and potential? According to the teen himself - someone who is ready to elevate his teammates.
McKenna was a guest during the Montreal/Carolina Game 4 postseason clash and when pressed about what he can offer to the team that chooses him, he was honest yet anything but humble:
I think I can bring excitement and help make the players around me better.
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Excitement he can bring, there's no doubt about that. He is one of the most hyped-up and exciting players to come into the NHL in some time and the future is not only bright but blinding for the 18-year old.
When asked about if he would be excited or happy to join the Toronto Maple Leafs should they pick him at #1, McKenna believed that would not only be a really exciting start to his NHL career, but he would be honoured to be part of the franchise:
That would be pretty cool, I would be very honoured.
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He's seemingly a guy of few words for now, but that doesn't mean they aren't impactful. McKenna knows the situation in Toronto and what he could do to be a solution. Not to mention MLSE would have a field day with the marketability and profit-making potential (jerseys, more tickets, etc).
Toronto really doesn't have another option besides McKenna (at least from a business standpoint)
Look, as much as MLSE cares about winning, they also care equally about money. McKenna will bring them oodles of cash, and the ability to push him as the face of the franchise for the next two decades is too enticing to pass up.
Plus, as good as Ivar Stenberg is and there is a genuine case for trading him, he doesn't offer that same level of hype or excitement when it comes to a franchise player. Will he be a superstar? Yes, there's no question. But he'll be a quiet superstar who may not be as flashy but sure as heck is productive.
He's too dynamic and explosive to pass up, and for a Maple Leafs team who has felt stagnant and needing a fresh new face to spark things; McKenna is the only way to go. He has 310 points over his last 187 games and is exactly that playmaking maestro Auston Matthews needs.
The fans are tired of wasting their money on a product that not only doesn't win, but is boring to watch. With McKenna in tow and a new head coach with an up-tempo mentality, it would give fans a reason to show up even if things get rough; something they didn't have this season.
So there really isn't any other choice for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gavin McKenna needs to go first overall because he brings the offensive solution they need, the marketability they desperately seek and can actually bring the fans together once again.
John Chayka really better not mess this up.
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