Without a doubt, Gavin McKenna is the most hyped-up prospect in this draft class. After racking up 244 points in 107 games, many have deemed him to be the next young superstar in the NHL. This hype only grew when he racked up 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 35 games at Penn State. It's easy to see that McKenna dominates at whatever level of hockey he plays. This explains why everyone expects McKenna to go number one to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But recently, McKenna has been in the news not for what he is doing on the ice, but for what he decided not to do. McKenna decided to skip the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship, deciding to focus on training for the NHL Draft Combine. Some have seen this as controversial and as a mistake on McKenna's part. PuckEmpire on Twitter/X have suggested it could cost him being the number one overall pick. McKenna should have gone to the World Championship to end these types of conversations.
McKenna is still probably the #1 on Toronto's list, but man what a silly decision it was for him to opt out of Team Canada at the IIHF Worlds.
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) May 26, 2026
Stenberg's stock has only risen from playing at the tournament, and the gap between Stenberg/McKenna is much smaller than JH/Kakko was.
Gavin McKenna should have gone to World Championship to end any debate
McKenna not going to the World Championship did not hurt his draft stock. It's not like his deciding to play in an international tournament is going to make teams look at him differently. They are going to look at the great numbers in the WHL and how he adjusted after a slow start at Penn State, and still believe he is an extremely talented player. Someone who can make the NHL lineup from the jump, and can be someone that a franchise builds around.
While McKenna's stock has not changed, other prospects have risen considerably, specifically Ivar Stenberg. In the seven games he has played for Team Sweden, he's registered four goals and four assists for eight points. Now, averaging a point per game is already impressive, but doing so against teams filled with NHL talent makes it even better. It's a clear indication that Stenberg will be able to hold his own at the next level.
Couple this performance with how he did in the SHL this season, and you can see why Stenberg is gaining momentum. Some already see Stenberg as the most pro-ready player in this draft class, and this performance backs that up. This is now sparking debate about whether McKenna is the right choice at one. With the Leafs needing the player they draft with the first pick to make an immediate impact, it's smart to take a player who has already shown success against NHL talent.
This debate could have been avoided had McKenna gone to the World Championship. While he has never played against professional players, his career indicates he would have performed well. Had McKenna played in the tournament, he would have put up solid numbers. This would demonstrate he’s able to perform against NHL-level talent and end any argument people have against taking him. The Leafs could feel confident that he can make an impact next season.
Although it seemed like a good idea for McKenna to focus on the combine, not going to the World Championship was his biggest mistake. He opened the door to debate over whether he is the right fit for the Leafs.
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