Maple Leafs Rookie Gavin McKenna Still Confident Despite Slow Start
Prospect Gavin McKenna has gone without a point in his first three NHL games, drawing attention from local media. The 18-year-old says the scrutiny is part of…
TORONTO — For an 18-year-old entering the NHL, the pace and physical pressure arrive alongside public scrutiny. Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna has gone without a point in his first three games, a start he says has brought plenty of attention from Toronto media.
“So, maybe that’s my welcome to the NHL,” McKenna said Tuesday after taking part in an optional morning skate.
McKenna is the first No. 1 draft pick to begin his NHL career with no points through three games since Alexis Lafreniere, who needed seven games to score in 2021, according to Sportsnet. The early drought has drawn notice, but McKenna said he remains confident and has endured scoreless stretches before.
“It’s obviously not where you want to be. But at the end of the day, I’ve been on many streaks where I’ve put up no points,” he said. He pointed to a difficult start in college last year, saying he eventually began to figure things out.
“Learning from last year and learning from these first few games is going to be key. And just sticking with it, being confident, I know it's going to come,” McKenna said.
The adjustment is not only about scoring. McKenna said the NHL offers less time and space than juniors or college, making decisions with the puck more consequential. If a play fails near the blue line, he said, a team can quickly find itself defending in its own end.
“You got to be smart with your decisions,” he said.
McKenna has been reviewing each game with linemate John Tavares and studying video of his shifts in one-on-one sessions with associate coach Daniel Alfredsson. The work focuses on adapting his playmaking to a league where chances to attack the middle of the ice are scarce.
Toronto teammate Morgan Rielly said McKenna has support from people familiar with the demands placed on a high draft pick. Rielly praised the teenager’s skill, poise and confidence moving the puck, particularly on the power play.
Coach Jim Hiller said the attention can be hard for players to avoid, especially when they spend time on their phones. Mats Sundin and teammates have also spoken with McKenna about outside criticism, Sportsnet reported.
“What you need to do is just really stay focused in the moment, stay on the present,” Hiller said. He added that players can improve over time at managing the noise around their performance.
That support matters because McKenna’s opening stretch is being judged in public while he learns the tighter, more physical game. The immediate challenge is to turn his skill into chances closer to the net without forcing plays that leave Toronto defending.
After three games, McKenna still has zero points.
Source: sportsnet.ca
