Gavin McKenna will return to Mullett Arena this weekend wearing Maple Leafs colors, a year after his Penn State debut in the same Tempe building. The 18-year-old rookie heads to Arizona with Toronto after collecting his first professional point, setting up John Tavares in a 6-1 preseason win over the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto practiced Thursday before leaving for Arizona, where captain Auston Matthews will lead a team-building trip in his hometown. The schedule includes a Saturday skate at Mullett Arena and a dinner hosted by Matthews at his home.
Quick facts
- McKenna, selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, assisted on Tavares’ goal against Ottawa.
- Toronto defeated the Senators 6-1 in its preseason game Wednesday.
- The Maple Leafs will work out Saturday at Mullett Arena in Tempe.
- McKenna is slated to make his regular-season NHL debut Tuesday against Montreal at Scotiabank Arena, with puck drop at 7 p.m. ET.
- He produced 51 points in 35 games during his lone Penn State season.
The Arizona stop carries some recent history for McKenna. On Oct. 3, 2025, the Whitehorse, Yukon, native recorded two assists in his first game for Penn State, a 6-3 win over Arizona State in the 5,000-seat arena.
He recalled that night as part of a wild 12-month climb, one that included some loud treatment from Arizona State supporters whenever he had the puck. McKenna joked that he is hoping for a quieter reception away from the rink this time around.
More importantly, he sees the weekend as a chance to settle further into a new room. McKenna said getting players together early in the season can help a club build chemistry quickly, and he welcomed the chance to spend time with teammates outside the usual training-camp routine.
On the ice, McKenna looked more comfortable against Ottawa than he had in Toronto’s 4-1 exhibition loss to the Montreal Canadiens four days earlier. Playing alongside Tavares and William Nylander, he showed more patience with the puck and created the sequence that led to his first preseason point.
One first-period move near Toronto’s blue line stood out: McKenna used a sharp deke to send Senators forward Michael Amadio off balance, drawing a loud reaction from the Scotiabank Arena crowd.
Coach Jim Hiller said the difference from McKenna’s first outing was evident. The rookie had reviewed areas he wanted to clean up after the Montreal game, and Hiller called his composed response against Ottawa encouraging.
Growth since Penn State
McKenna’s college season had its own adjustment period. He scored four goals over his first 16 games, prompting questions about whether the highly regarded prospect was meeting the expectations that followed his move from the Canadian Hockey League to Penn State.
His game picked up after he represented Canada at the World Junior Championship in Minneapolis and St. Paul around the turn of the year. Over his final 19 games, McKenna posted 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points, finishing with 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 appearances.
Toronto won the NHL Draft Lottery and used the first pick on McKenna. Justin Bieber announced the selection, and McKenna’s summer also included throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game and attending a World Cup match.
McKenna spent much of the offseason working on his skating and footwork in Vancouver, where he shared ice sessions with San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini. Hiller said McKenna’s straight-line speed has been one of the early surprises in camp, alongside the agility that was already part of his reputation.
The rookie said skating had been a major summer priority because of the pace at the NHL level. He believes becoming more deceptive with his feet helped him against Ottawa.
Now the focus shifts from preseason progress to Tuesday’s opener against Montreal. McKenna said friends and family will travel in for what is expected to be his first regular-season NHL game.
Before that, there is Arizona. General manager John Chayka said the trip matters to Matthews personally and gives the captain an opportunity to show teammates the place where he grew up while the group gets to know one another better.
For McKenna, whose rise has taken him from Penn State to the top of the draft and into Toronto’s lineup in less than a year, the return to Tempe is another marker on a fast-moving road.
