With the 2026 NHL Draft roughly a month away, the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting closer and closer to having Gavin McKenna on the team. The projected first overall pick is a fantastic playmaking winger who could work perfectly alongside Auston Matthews. McKenna’s vision and passing are what make him such an effective player. With that being said, where should he slide in on the Leafs lineup? Should he be given a chance on the top line? Or should he play in the middle-six to start off his NHL career?
A look on the first line
The main spot everyone would want to see McKenna is on the first line with Matthews and Nylander. Both Matthews and Nylander are already established NHL superstars who have plenty of talent. As awesome as this would be, there is no doubt that this could create unrealistic expectations for McKenna in his first season. If he plays in the NHL next year, I could see him being a 50-point player. He will definitely need at least a season or two to adapt to playing at the NHL level, but there is no doubt that the skill is there.
Now, on the special teams, I would think McKenna would play on the number one power play unit. Here, even at his age, he could be a huge difference maker for the Leafs. The offence in Toronto has not been the same since Mitch Marner left, and they desperately need some kind of change. McKenna could step in, take that spot, and potentially be the exact piece that this team is missing.
Honestly, looking at what the Leafs currently have, I would not be surprised to see this team run an all-forward power play unit. Having Tavares at centre, Knies on the wall, and Matthews in his one-timer spot, gives the point positions to Nylander and McKenna. This would provide McKenna with as much time and space to make plays. If nothing is available, he could simply switch spots with Nylander to provide better shooting angles.
Overall, there would be a massive potential upside for McKenna playing on the first line. Would this be the right move out of the gate? Or should he have some time to settle and adjust to the NHL game?
A middle-six role
A more likely scenario for McKenna to start his NHL career is to play in the middle-six. Here, he could play alongside Tavares and Knies, being the primary playmaker of that line. I think that this would be a very interesting line to watch, and it would also take a bit of the constant spotlight off McKenna. The Leafs have another young winger in Easton Cowan who can slide in on the top line if McKenna is not there. The second line could be the best spot to start.
Even if McKenna is on the second line, I still see him being on the first power play unit. This would still provide him with plenty of offensive opportunities to show his stuff. I think that playing alongside Tavares would do McKenna a lot of good. In my opinion, he is the most mature leader on the team who had a similar young career (outside of the NCAA). Tavares can show McKenna the ropes about what it is like to be a first overall pick in the NHL.
A spot that I would not want McKenna in is playing on the third line. He would likely be playing with Max Domi (assuming he is still on the team) and maybe Nicholas Robertson. I do not think that this would be a good spot for the forward, as he would get limited minutes and be playing with some less offensively dangerous players. McKenna needs to put up points; that’s what he does. In my opinion, he either plays on the first or second line.
Another year back at college?
An unlikely scenario I could see happening is McKenna taking another year at the NCAA level. One could argue that he has some unfinished business with Penn State University and at the World Junior Stage. McKenna had a dominant season, where he posted 51 points in 35 games. One can imagine that McKenna would like to have a better finish with Penn State, as they lost in the first round of the playoffs this year. He also got into some legal trouble off the ice, but if anything, that has helped boost his draft stock.
Another area that McKenna needs another shot at is the World Junior Tournament. So far, McKenna has appeared in two tournaments for Canada, which ended in disappointment. In the 2025 tournament, McKenna and Team Canada lost to Czechia in the quarterfinals. In the following year, things did not go much better as they lost to Czechia in the bronze medal game in a barn burner. McKenna had a solid 2026 tournament, posting 14 points in seven games. However, he needs to bring home a gold medal to solidify a memorable spot in Canadian junior hockey.
The 2027 World Junior Tournament will be on home soil in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. McKenna does have some previous success here, when he won the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton.
Yes, Tavares is the most mature leader and only mentor for McKenna really. Keep him away from Nylander and Matthews!
You almost never, maybe never throw a NCAA or CHL player straight into the top 6! There is a high chance of impeding their development or having them injured such as Knies and Robertson were. McKenna is 5’11” and only 170 lbs. That’s very small to be playing with the biggest players, in the fastest and best hockey league in the world! He’s never played pro, just college hockey.
Knies was the worst at -30 last season. None of Nylander, Tavares (-28!) and McKenna (rookie from NCAA) are good defensively. That would probably be an all forward PP disaster! McKenna may need some time in the AHL. He will almost surely need time in the NHL on 3rd line. Similar to Cowan, he may start to fade and need to sit a few games here and there. Cowan has been very encouraging to have done what he has in his first year but he has a ways to go hopefully. He’s not really a 1st liner currently, probably not a top 6 on a good team. You can’t rush these players to perform as you want just because you have a need!
Sorry for Domi personally but unfortunately, the Leafs are stuck with him because of injury operation complications!
If McKenna wants to go back to college, the Leafs are not going to want him. They need that 1st to supply them with a good affect next season. So then maybe they trade down to 2nd and take Svenberg or get a boatload and 3rd-5th.