Maple Leafs Sign First Overall Pick McKenna to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Gavin McKenna to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. McKenna was the first overall selection in the 2026 NHL draft held in Buffalo, New York, where Justin Bieber announced the pick. McKenna, 18, has already taken part in Toronto's development camp this week.

The signing came one week after the draft and allows him to prepare for training camp in the fall, where the team expects him to compete for a forward role. In his rookie season at Penn State, McKenna recorded 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games. He set program records for assists by a freshman with 36 and total points by a freshman, earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, and led the conference in scoring against league opponents with 38 points.

Before college, McKenna tallied 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. During the 2024-25 season he posted 129 points in 56 games to lead the CHL in scoring, added nine goals and 38 points in 16 playoff games, and helped Medicine Hat win the WHL championship. He was named CHL Player of the Year for that season.

McKenna initially took jersey number 72 at development camp but gave it up after the Maple Leafs signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21 million contract on Wednesday. Bobrovsky has worn the number throughout his NHL career. The other numbers McKenna typically wears, 9 and 27, are retired by Toronto.