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Gavin McKenna breaks silence on potentially being picked No. 1 overall by Maple Leafs
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- Gavin McKenna breaks silence on potentially being picked No. 1 overall by Maple Leafs
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking forward to building towards the future after a disaster in 2025-26. The Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft lottery and will be selecting first overall in the draft at the end of June.
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One of the top prospects in the draft, and projected first overall pick, is Gavin McKenna, who just completed his freshman season at Penn State. Now, McKenna is speaking out about potentially joining the Leafs, per TSN Sports.
"It's the biggest hockey market in the world. That would be pretty cool, I would be very honoured," McKenna said. "I hear good things about Toronto. I've talked to some people, and it seems like an amazing place."
McKenna may not know much about living in Toronto. While he is from Canada, he is from Whitehorse, Yukon, closer to Alaska than anything else. His WHL career also did not establish him in the eastern part of Canada. He played three seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of Medicine Hat, Alberta, also in Western Canada.
Still, the Maple Leafs are the most valuable franchise in the NHL, according to Justin Teitelbaum of Forbes.
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"For the third straight year, Toronto is the NHL's most valuable team, rising 16% to an estimated $4.4 billion. The Maple Leafs are one of two hockey franchises worth at least $4 billion, along with the New York Rangers , just a year after the sport broke the $3 billion barrier and four years after it first reached $2 billion," Teitelbaum wrote.
The rise of the Maple Leafs in value coincides with the success found under their last first overall pick. The last time the Leafs had the first overall selection, they selected Auston Matthews . Now, there are questions about the future of Matthews in Toronto . If Matthews does move on, McKenna might be a suitable replacement. Regardless, having both Matthews and McKenna wearing Maple Leafs sweaters would probably be better for the franchise's value.
Related: Maple Leafs rumors: Artur Akhtyamov's AHL emergence complicates Toronto's offseason plans
Related: NHL rumors: Could Ducks package Mason McTavish in blockbuster Auston Matthews trade offer?
