"If Gavin McKenna would've stayed in junior and played in the #WHL this season, he would've had 140 points and the hype surrounding him would have been comparable to Connor Bedard. He had 51 pts in 35 games as a 17/18 year old playing in a way more competitive league. I don't...- Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) May 8, 2026"
"Indeed, McKenna would have torn up the WHL. He would have played with others roughly his age, making him a dominant force. In the NCAA, McKenna went up against much tougher competition. He did not face teenagers like in Junior. The US college ranks feature players already into their 20s and further along in their development."
"That situation actually makes McKenna much more NHL-ready than most of his peers in this year's draft. McKenna followed a path this season similar to the one Auston Matthews followed in his draft year. Matthews had come up in the USHL, dominating the league. In 60 games, Matthews scored 55 goals."
"So, the 18-year-old Matthews spent a season in Switzerland, playing in a men's league. He was still a teenager, playing in a much more competitive environment than the USHL. In Europe, Matthews notched 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games. Sure, Matthews could have stayed in the USHL. He could have scored 200 points"
Toronto Maple Leafs selection debate centers on the 2026 first-overall pick. A consensus favors Gavin McKenna as the top choice. A cited claim states that if McKenna had stayed in junior and played in the WHL, he would have produced 140 points and drawn hype comparable to Connor Bedard. The argument links McKenna’s NCAA performance to stronger competition than junior, suggesting greater NHL readiness. The comparison extends to Auston Matthews, whose draft-year path included dominating the USHL, then playing a season in Switzerland against men while still a teenager. The same developmental logic is used to support McKenna’s readiness and impact potential.
Read at Editor In Leaf
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]