Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach previews Gavin McKenna, 2026 class, draft tendencies
“He wants to win,” Leach said of McKenna, when asked about his competitiveness. “He had a great year in juniors the year before and had great success. Talking with the coaches, he is a guy who wants to get better every day. He drags guys into the fight, if you will, not only in the games but also in practice. He makes them get there early and stay later. Those are special people when they bring people into the fight like that. He has the ability to do that.”
There’s a mutual appreciation between McKenna and the Maple Leafs. McKenna spoke to reporters on Friday afternoon, and expressed his excitement about being potentially selected first overall by Toronto.
After the 2025 NHL Draft, Leach spoke about size as a commonality between prospects they selected. Leach once again spoke about the importance of having size in the modern NHL, which could be a precursor for what may lie ahead after the first round.
“I’ve always been a guy who likes size. I’ve always liked size to a point. I also like competitiveness. A kid has to be able to compete to play at the highest level and get the most out of themselves. You’ve got to be competitive. They can all skate. They all have skill. They all have some good IQ. You have to be able to mix it all together.”
Toronto will conduct approximately 65 interviews throughout the combine, Leach stated. There will be a range of prospects the Maple Leafs will certainly target, during a year where they have a renewed opportunity to bolster a once-barren prospect pool. McKenna is widely considered the favourite to go first overall. Beyond the first pick, Leach, Brackett, and the Maple Leafs’ scouting staff will be working diligently to find real value for a team that is currently trying to re-tool, after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.