To say that Gavin McKenna got a massive 800-pound monkey off his back is an understatement.
He did so on Tuesday night by scoring his first NHL goal. He ended the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators with two points.
And boy were they massive.
There had been all sorts of questions about what was wrong with McKenna. In particular, I had been one who questioned the need to change McKenna’s role in the lineup.
Yes, Tuesday night’s showing was fantastic. The 18-year-old made several electrifying plays that were a harbinger of what’s to come. But the bottom line is that McKenna is still not out of the woods.
There will be time to dissect his performance moving forward, but you have to think it’s a huge relief for the first-overall pick to score his first NHL goal.
After the game, McKenna made his relief clear to reporters.
“That one felt good,” McKenna said. “Yeah, that’s a goal I’ll obviously remember for forever, so, yeah, it felt good. I was on the ice and I think I got hit from behind, so battling, but yeah, I think even after that first assist it was a pretty special moment, and definitely feeling the love from the fans,” McKenna continued. “That one obviously feels good, love this fanbase, so to hear that, it was pretty special.”
McKenna drove home this point by declaring the monkey officially off his back.
“It’s a big monkey off the back. That one felt good. Yeah, that’s a goal I’ll remember forever.”
With one monkey down, others remain.
Patience is still needed with Gavin McKenna
There is certainly a temptation to declare that whatever early-season issues afflicted Gavin McKenna are finally over. However, the fact remains that more patience is still warranted with the rookie sensation.
It took McKenna all of four games to find the back of the net. That’s pretty good in the grander scheme of things.
On the whole, McKenna has needed time to adjust to the NHL game. It’s one thing to come out of the WHL and NCAA, and it’s another thing to play against grown men at the pro level.
In fact, you could argue that he skipped several developmental steps. Typically, prospects go through their Junior and college hockey, take their time in the AHL or ECHL, and then progress to the NHL when the organization deems them ready.
McKenna skipped all of that and headed straight to the NHL.
That’s par for the course with first-overall picks. They immediately hit the NHL, as they are generally considered too good for lower levels.
For the time being, two points in his first four NHL games are not too bad at all. Let’s hope that this is just the beginning of what could become a monster rookie season for Gavin McKenna.
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