According to Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller, his decision to put Gavin McKenna alongside John Tavares and William Nylander wasn't spur of the moment.
Thursday kicked off the on-ice portion of the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp, and amongst all the stories that came out of day one, arguably the biggest is where Gavin McKenna ended up in the lineup. So much speculation about his placement in the top-six dominated the conversation recently, and now we finally got our first idea.
He was seen skating on a line alongside housemate John Tavares as well as William Nylander, giving him a solid start in his NHL career as a second-line playmaker. He's certainly able to thrive given the talent around him, and it might not be long before we see him on the first line.
Hiller praises McKenna and explains his second-line slot was always the move
Though let's temper expectations for now and see how things play out as the season goes on, which is something that head coach Jim Hiller is trying to do. Hiller addressed the media after the team's first camp practice, he mentioned that this group was something he had a long time to think about - and was his primary choice:
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He didn't stop short of giving the rookie phenom his flowers though, as he loved what he saw from a playmaking and creative aspect:
I saw him dance away and just do a nice little backhand sauce pass into space. That jumps out at you. So, those are the things that you're just standing there and you see them and you go, ‘OK, well, that's a high level.' That's what he's going to have to do against veteran NHL defensemen when the real games start.
Hiller also explicitly stated that while he wasn't eyeing in on McKenna specifically, it was hard not to notice him:
I'm not looking for Gavin, but I see Gavin - if that makes any sense.
Frankly, McKenna couldn't have gone wrong being on the first or second line but it will be a lot easier to acclimate to the league with that level of protection.
How Jim Hiller can maximize Gavin McKenna's potential on line two
If Hiller wants to really insure his rookie, then that defensive pairing will likely be Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe, with Tavares also able to contribute at a high level defensively.
A second line that looks like this hitting the ice could be an underrated asset in Hiller's lineup:
McKenna -- Tavares -- Nylander
McCabe -- Tanev
That group gives you two fantastic defensive anchors, with three highly skilled and dangerous offensive players who all feed off each other's strengths. Not to mention that McCabe and Tanev can play the puck a bit too, and you have a five-headed monster ready to attack.
Plus, it also builds chemistry and familiarity with teammates who will join him on the power-play. Having comfort with Nylander and Tavares will only make things easier, and it'll allow him time to learn as he can defer to those players and reposition.
It's also a great way to see how he'll play alongside Auston Matthews, as both men will be key parts of the man advantage.
This doesn't guarantee that McKenna explodes offensively and starts to put up gaudy numbers. But it does offer him a lot of protection at both ends of the ice, with teammates he's already comfortable with, while also allowing him to do his own thing offensively.
If this indeed was Hiller's plan all along, then the Maple Leafs may be in better hands than we thought.
Do you think Gavin McKenna should be on the second line to start his NHL career?
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