The Toronto Maple Leafs opened the 2026 NHL Draft by selecting Penn State winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, according to ESPN. McKenna, 18, posted 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games for the Nittany Lions this past season.
The selection put an end to any speculation that the Maple Leafs might change course at the top of the board. McKenna had been widely connected to Toronto heading into draft night, and the team moved quickly and without hesitation when the pick was on the clock.
McKenna becomes one of the higher-profile forwards to come out of the college ranks in recent draft cycles. His production at Penn State, a program that has grown steadily in national recruiting prominence, drew consistent attention throughout the season. Fifty-one points in 35 games at any level of hockey is a number that commands attention, and it did.
The Maple Leafs made the selection and moved forward.
