There were a lot of detractors through Gavin McKenna's first three games, but since he's started to show more of his potential - he's quickly silenced those critics.
The start to McKenna's career in Toronto came with a lot of expectations that were not initially capitalized on. He didn't get a point for the first three games, looked a bit intimidated by the leap to the NHL, and fans were getting restless about when he was finally going to score.
Well, he got the monkey off his back in a big way, first with an assist to his landlord, John Tavares and then decided to get in on the scoring fun by ripping a wrist shot past Juuse Saros that dazzled fans and teammates alike.
Gavin McKenna just turned his critics into believers
He's suddenly tied for first in rookie scoring, looks more and more comfortable by the day, and his teammates are thriving with his presence, and given the hype that he came in with - he's slowly starting to reach those heights.
But while his growth is steadily increasing, his ability to shut his critics down came swift and furious:
-
BigHeadHockey on social media had the inkling that McKenna wouldn't have as hot a start as anticipated, and for the first three games it felt like he didn't belong. But they have done a complete 180 on the situation as McKenna has shown flashes of being elite.
It's not just the scoring and playmaking either. It's the speed at which he is flying around the ice, doing so with confidence and not shying away from trying to get a little creative.
His defensive critiques should also be put on hold
He also deserves a ton of credit for improving his defensive game as Auston Matthews' goal against Colorado would never have happened without it:
-
While Avalanche fans were complaining about a penalty, it was simply McKenna winning the puck battle with a savvy check, and the Colorado player blowing a tire.
Does this mean he's suddenly a top two-way forward? Absolutely not, and he does have some serious issues with being pushed off the puck, and sometimes trying to do too much and getting pickpocketed.
But it shows that he quickly adapted to other facets of the game that are going to make him and the rest of his teammates thrive, and he can continue to do that at this pace, we could be looking at a dangerous McKenna who is a nightmare to play against both defensively and offensively.
There's still a lot of time and a lot of mistakes that Gavin McKenna will run into during his first season in the NHL. But those people who were worried that he was more talk than walk can rest with the fact that he's the real deal - and he's just getting started.
Do you think Gavin McKenna has lived up to the hype for the Maple Leafs so far?
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs acquire Zach Whitecloud & Connor Zary in eye-popping trade proposal