Leafs’ McKenna jokes dealing with Toronto media his ‘Welcome to the NHL’ moment

Every rookie has their ‘Welcome to the NHL’ moment. Whether it’s getting beat by a superstar one-on-one or rocked by a gruff defenseman, every player has a unique experience entering the league.

For Toronto Maple Leafs youngster Gavin McKenna, his eye-opening experience in his first year in the league has come from the number of reporters surrounding the team.

When speaking to reporters after morning skate on Tuesday, McKenna joked about the immense media presence covering the team, adding that he hears and sees the criticism about his start to his NHL career.

“I mean, I think just how hard it is,” McKenna said. “You come in, you believe in yourself, and I still believe in myself, but yeah, when you’re, you know, especially in the Toronto media putting up 0 points in 3 games, I hear about it.”

Through the first three games with the Leafs, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft has zero points, with some poking at the former Penn State Nittany Lion for not getting on the scoresheet. Much has been made of the day-to-day pressure players on the Toronto roster feel, which is a real change for an 18-year-old from Whitehorse, Y.T.

McKenna added that the rough start isn’t ideal, but understands that it’s just part of the ebbs and flows of the game.

“It’s obviously not where you want it to be, but at the end of the day, I’ve been on many streaks where I’ve put up no points…Had a tough start to college last year and started to figure things out from there. So, yeah, I think just honestly learning from last year and learning from these first few games, I think is going to be key. And just, I think sticking with it, being confident. I think I know it’s going to come, so just keep working and have confidence.”

McKenna has a chance to pick up his first point on Tuesday night, when the Leafs take on the Nashville Predators. Toronto has opened the season with losses to the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, but did score a victory over the New York Islanders last Wednesday.