Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis previews Gavin McKenna, Tinus Luc Koblar’s breakout at IIHF World Championship
Daily Faceoff’s prospect expert Steven Ellis joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and co-host David Pagnotta to discuss why he feels McKenna is the pick for Toronto, the play of Tinus Luc Koblar at the IIHF World Championship and the Maple Leafs goaltending situation heading into next year.
“I think it’s pretty close, but he [McKenna] still feels like the guy Toronto’s going to pick. From the Maple Leafs’ perspective, does it make too much sense to draft this guy? With McKenna, there’s also the marketing angle, like here’s the star player everybody’s heard about for years, and this is the guy that’s going to sell jerseys,” Ellis said. “McKenna’s the guy that’s going to get people talking and make things fun. You’re not going to find someone with his hands and hockey sense every year.”
The 18-year-old was selected by the Maple Leafs during the second round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and spent the past season playing for Leksands IF of the SHL.
“This has been a very good tournament for him, and Norway in particular, just an unbelievable story of what they’ve been able to do, and Koblar’s been a big part of that. I think when you look at a lot of his goals, they aren’t great shots or anything, but he’s in the right spot at the right time for tips, deflections, and rebounds,” Ellis said. “He’s got a good frame, and he’s very difficult to push around. I know one name people were throwing around last year was he’s a very light version of Anze Kopitar in the way he’s tough to push around.”
“The Leafs have some really good goalie depth to the point where the Stolarz contract extension made no sense to begin with. You have two AHL goalies that just needed one hot year, and we’ve seen everything that’s happened,” Ellis said. “If I’m a Maple Leafs fan and I’ve watched the World Championships, I’d be concerned with Joseph Woll. He’s had a horrible tournament and lost his starting job. You look at double-A’s [Akhtyamov], and what he’s done in these playoffs, where he’s been outstanding. Let’s not forget Dennis Hildeby had some good showings too, so they [Maple Leafs] have to be feeling pretty good about that.”