Leafs’ McKenna hits the ice for 1st camp practice

TORONTO – Jim Hiller elected to keep fans and media guessing.

The Maple Leafs head coach declined to publicly divulge where No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna would slot in at his first training camp practice.

The curtain was lifted about thirty minutes into Thursday’s session.

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McKenna skated on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander with the team’s NHL group.

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The 18-year-old from Whitehorse had a few flashy moments, including the setup of a Tavares goal in the slot and a battle drill against big-bodied forward Matthew Knies where the youngster ended up with just one glove — and the puck behind goaltender Anthony Stolarz.

Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division in 2025-26 before beating May’s lottery odds for the right to pick McKenna, who’s living with Tavares and his family this season, with the top selection in June.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2026.