Troy Stecher pumped about being Gavin McKenna’s Maple Leafs teammate

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Troy Stecher is going to have a front row seat to watch Gavin McKenna’s Maple Leafs career get underway.

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Signed by the Leafs to a two-year contract on Monday, Stecher couldn’t be happier.

“Everybody in the hockey world loves what (Conor) Bedard and (Macklin) Celebrini and (Matthew) Schaefer have brought the past three years as the first overall picks, so you would probably expect a lot of the same,” Stecher said. “He’s going to be a heck of a player.”

After staying with the Leafs on a deal that carries an average annual value of $1.35 million US, Stecher on Tuesday spoke to media via Zoom from Vancouver, where he is continuing his off-season training.

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For the most part, Stecher made a good impression in Toronto in 2025-26 after he was claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers in mid-November. He’s glad the new Leafs front-office regime under John Chayka and Mats Sundin, and new coach Jim Hiller, viewed his 58-game stint with the club in a similar manner.

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Had Stecher not signed, he would have gone on the open market when free agency kicks off on Wednesday at 12 p.m.

“It’s what I wanted and what I hoped for,” Stecher said of his new pact. “I couldn’t be happier to get that across the finish line.

“I’m not oblivious to the fact that my game slipped it a little bit at the end of the season (compared to) when I came to the organization.

“The opportunity that I got to showcase what I can bring was great for myself, and it’s what I’ve been hoping for throughout my career in a lot of different places.”

Finding stability

The Leafs became Stecher’s seventh team in the National Hockey League. He noted that fact when the Leafs picked him up, and that it was just his 10th season in the NHL.

Nailing down a foundation was critical.

“There’s a lot of work still to do as a player, but I’m also a little bit proud (that it worked in Toronto),” Stecher, 32, said. “It was just a good fit. There’s multiple reasons behind it. I’m just glad to be back and to be a Leaf and try to help this team win some hockey games this year.”

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Stecher knows where he wants to take some strides. There’s not question about his effort and desire. Both were evident last season.

“The biggest step that I could make would probably be my offensive game, and trying to add a bit more offence from the back end, but in saying that, you don’t want to take away from your defensive side of it,” Stecher said. “I felt like last year that was something I kind of struggled with at times.

“More than anything, it’s continuing to work on the fundamentals of my game, continue to try to be a good pro and make myself better every day.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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