The newest round of Toronto Maple Leafs rumors isn’t all that surprising. If anything, most fans have already gotten an inkling of what direction the club will take in the 2026 NHL Draft.
No, the rumors aren’t about the Leafs trading the pick away. While it’s a possibility, it’s not really something that makes much sense, at least at this juncture.
The latest chatter has honed in on who the Leafs will take with the first-overall pick in this year’s draft. According to a mock draft in The Athletic, the Leafs’ pick really isn’t much of a surprise.
The mock draft projects Gavin McKenna as the Maple Leafs’ choice in the upcoming draft.
Joshua Kloke underscored this selection by stating just how much McKenna stands to improve the Leafs lineup. Most importantly, he’ll give captain Auston Matthews a solid running mate.
“A franchise-altering talent ticks so many boxes for the Leafs: Drafting McKenna is the silver lining after a miserable season, it gives the Leafs a winger to play alongside Auston Matthews for years — and potentially helps convince him to stay long-term — and it could help the team get new buy-in from a beleaguered fanbase.”
That’s the other side of current Maple Leafs rumors. The desire to keep Auston Matthews in the fold for the long haul. The consensus is that landing a player of McKenna’s caliber could be enough to entice Matthews to stick around a bit longer.
Maple Leafs Rumors Likely to Pick Up as NHL Draft Approaches
The chatter surrounding Toronto and its selection should pick up as the NHL Draft approaches. There will be plenty of discussion regarding who the Leafs should take.
There’s one camp that believes that McKenna is a slam-dunk choice. It’s hard to argue. He’s a highly marketable and uber-talented forward. He’s got elite skills that could help fill the void Mitch Marner left last summer.
Then, there’s another camp that could fuel Maple Leafs rumors. This camp believes that Ivar Stenberg is a much better choice. The Swedish forward is the consensus #2 pick, and could provide Toronto with the sort of all-around play that Marner gave the team.
However, taking Stenberg over McKenna could become a polarizing decision. The current administration is already skating on thin ice. That’s why McKenna makes much more sense.
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Leafs Need Help Right Away
Perhaps the biggest factor that could drive the decision to take McKenna over any other prospect is NHL-readiness.
The bulk of Maple Leafs rumors suggest that the team needs more scoring. But the club can’t afford to wait two or three years for its top prospect to hit NHL ice.
That’s where McKenna makes more sense. He’s the type of player who could get into the NHL right away. At least that’s the thought process. While there’s always the possibility he’s not quite ready for prime time yet, the general trend is that first-overall picks make it to the NHL right away.
If that’s the aim, McKenna makes sense. Other Maple Leafs rumors suggesting another player is more than likely are just rumors. It’s pretty much McKenna or bust from now until June 26, when the first round of the NHL Draft is set to take place.
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