Gavin McKenna’s first NHL game has already played once in his head. On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie gets the real version when Montreal visits Scotiabank Arena for the season opener.
The 18-year-old winger said he dreamed about his debut a few days ago, and the result sounded encouraging. “It went good,” McKenna said Monday, laughing. “Hopefully that’s the case. I’m excited.”
Quick facts
- Toronto opens the season against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.
- McKenna, 18, was the Maple Leafs’ No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
- He has skated beside John Tavares and William Nylander in camp and recorded one assist in two preseason games.
- Fourteen relatives and friends, including his parents Krystal and Willy, are expected in attendance.
- Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews scored four goals in his NHL debut on Oct. 12, 2016.
McKenna arrives in Toronto a decade after Matthews became the first overall selection in the same Buffalo building, then called First Niagara Center. Matthews made an immediate mark with four goals against the Ottawa Senators in his 2016 debut, though Toronto lost 5-4 in overtime.
The rookie did not have a four-goal forecast in his own dream. “I don’t know my stat line, but I think it was a good game,” he said.
He knows the Matthews debut has become part of Leafs lore. McKenna said he has heard plenty about it, but is not chasing that kind of box score in Game 1.
“I have high expectations for myself, but that’s not something I’m too worried about,” McKenna said. “I just want to go out there and play my game.”
His focus is on the small plays as much as the skill plays: winning pucks, fighting through checks and helping the line. McKenna believes those details can build the kind of night he imagined.
Asked whether he had ever pressed Matthews for stories about the four-goal debut, McKenna grinned. “I don’t think you can just ask him,” he said. “I think he’s in a world of his own.”
Tuesday will put McKenna in a different kind of spotlight. The Whitehorse, Yukon native will have a sizable group in the building for his first game, with his parents leading a 14-person contingent of family and friends.
“I’ll have a decent crew here,” McKenna said. “Never got to play with people from my hometown and my family. It’s special and I’m looking forward to it.”
Toronto has given him a prominent look through camp, placing him with Tavares and Nylander. He finished the preseason with one assist in two games, while drawing praise for how quickly he has handled the adjustment to the NHL pace.
Coach Jim Hiller said McKenna has settled in faster than the club expected over his first 10 days around the team. Hiller likes the rookie’s willingness to work and the way he has adapted beyond simply making the skilled plays expected of a top pick.
“He’s adjusted really well, maybe better than we thought he would,” Hiller said. “We know he’s going to make plays, but I just like how he’s adapted to the League overall.”
Hiller does not expect the home-opener noise, the family section or the Canadiens across the red line to overwhelm McKenna. The coach sees a player comfortable with the attention and confident in what he can bring.
Matthews remembers the family, nerves and anticipation that come with that first night. He expects McKenna to feel all of it when the teams line up for the anthem.
“It’s a pretty special moment,” Matthews said. “You have so much family, so much support in your corner. I know it’s going to be a special night for him.”
