The long-suffering fans of the NHL’s most fervent team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, received a welcome boost on Tuesday night with news of their draft lottery victory. This win secures them the coveted first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, offering a glimmer of hope for the franchise.
Among the promising talents available, Penn State’s standout forward Gavin McKenna is projected to be the top choice. His potential selection has already stirred excitement among the Maple Leafs’ management.
John Chayka, the newly appointed general manager of the Maple Leafs, has been tracking McKenna’s progress well before joining the Toronto team. “I’ve been following his development for several years,” Chayka remarked. “His skill set is remarkable, from his creativity and puck handling to his shot and release. It’s truly exceptional.” He added, “We’ll have discussions with the scouts, but there’s a strong interest in many players, including Gavin.”
With only an 8.5 percent chance of securing the top spot, Toronto originally held the fifth-highest odds. This win was crucial, as slipping outside the top five would have meant forfeiting their first-round pick to the Boston Bruins. Instead, they will now part with future first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 to the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins.
The specifics of these future pick exchanges remain uncertain. As Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly noted, the situation is complex and yet to be fully resolved, leaving fans and analysts eagerly awaiting further clarity.
It’s unclear which pick will go to the Bruins and which will be awarded to the Flyers. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly has called it a complicated situation, which has yet to be resolved.
McKenna’s remarkable run at Penn State was nearly sidetracked by a felony assault charge that was later dropped.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will pick first overall in next month’s NHL Draft, when a flurry of top stars will be available. Most notably, Penn State’s Gavin McKenna is expected to go first
Canada forward Gavin McKenna (9) controls the puck during the second period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship bronze medal game against Finland on January 5
The 18-year-old from Canada’s Yukon Territory was charged with felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment on January 31 after an off-campus altercation.
Video showed McKenna punch another man, who suffered a broken jaw according to authorities.
The following week, Centre County District Attorney and State College Police announced that the video was not clear evidence McKenna acted with intent to cause serious harm and as a result, decided to drop the aggravated assault charge, which carried a potential 20-year prison sentence.
McKenna still faces misdemeanor counts of simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment.
He was at the bar Doggie’s Pub in downtown State College with friends following an outdoor game against Michigan State, according to student news website Onward State.
Toronto won the lottery, followed by San Jose, Vancouver, Chicago and the New York Rangers
Detailed view of the Draft Lottery Percentages to start the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery set
The website reports that McKenna allegedly assaulted an unidentified individual, leaving him with a broken jaw.
The incident which led to McKenna allegedly throwing a punch has not been officially confirmed.
However, multiple reports indicate that the Penn State hockey team was in a private room at the bar when a person unrelated to the team began verbally harassing a member of McKenna’s family.
Vancouver, which had the best odds at the top pick, will select third on June 26 in Buffalo.
San Jose has the second pick, while Chicago, the New York Rangers, Calgary, Seattle, Winnipeg, reigning-champion Florida and Nashville round out the top ten.
Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg is expected to get some consideration for the top pick, but McKenna’s one season with the Nittany Lions may be tough to beat. In addition to his 15 goals, McKenna added 36 assists as Penn State reached the NCAA Tournament.
The Leafs have not raised the Stanley Cup since 1967. They last picked first overall in 2016, when they selected American phenom, Auston Matthews.
