Gavin McKenna is the near-consensus favourite to be selected first overall, so it’s only natural for him to start thinking where he may begin his highly-anticipated NHL career.
McKenna met with reporters at the NHL Scouting Combine on Friday, where he addressed several topics, including the pressure of being in the spotlight as the top prospect in this year’s class. The dynamic winger spoke about what it would mean to be selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“Obviously the situation the Leafs are in right now, it’s pretty crazy they got the first overall pick,” McKenna said. Friday. “They’re a team who’s probably going to be fighting for the playoffs next year so I’d be pretty fortunate to go there,”
Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka met with McKenna in Whitehorse, Yukon, to learn more about the Penn State forward. Chayka was clearly impressed by McKenna, and it appears that he’s the favourite within the Leafs’ organization.
“I spent a lot of time with him and his family now and going through that process. We want to make sure we get the person right, first and foremost,” Chayka said Friday. “Gavin is a really nice young man. Really quality family. Spent some quality time with him, got to know him. He’s a small-town kid. It’s a remote area of the world, very peaceful but beautiful. Within that, I think there’s some real resolve around who he is and what his career means to him and his family, and I find it impressive.”
It’s clear that McKenna has prepared for the pressure that comes with the top billing, and spoke about what it’s like to deal with the pressure and spotlight that comes with the territory.
“Earlier in the year, I talked with Connor (Bedard) a little bit and just asked for some advice,”
McKenna said via Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis. “We’ve gone through some similar things with media and pressure and stuff like that. I think we both kind of know what it’s like a little bit.”
McKenna and the rest of his class are now looking to ace the combine and the attendant interviews with the teams, before hearing their names called on draft night. Although McKenna may be grateful to be selected by the Maple Leafs on draft night, it would certainly be a mutually assured feeling from the fan base and organization writ large.
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