The Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup decision at Friday's practice was sure to garner a lot of buzz among the fanbase. Heck, before John Tavares could even join practice in a non-contact jersey, fans had already given away his spot on the first powerplay unit to Gavin McKenna. After nine years with the organization, during which he was on PP1 for 99% of it, fans were ready to toss him to the side.
Jim Hiller doesn't share that sentiment, and given how he's handled McKenna's minutes and his loyalty to the team's veterans, it wasn't surprising to see Tavares back in his customary spot. If Tavares falters, McKenna will be back there soon enough, but the former captain has earned the chance to lose the spot himself, and the rookie doesn't disagree, according to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan, via X.
"I'm 18 years old. There's a lot of guys in this team who've been in this league for a long time and know how to play that power play. When you see a guy like John come on and take your spot, you're not too butthurt about it.
Gavin McKenna has mature response to being taken off top power-play unit
It was a mature response from the 18-year-old, and one that a lot of Leafs past and maybe present could learn from. In a world where the best players have been media-trained from an early age, some better than others, it's clear McKenna has been prepped for the Toronto spotlight, and he's going to avoid giving the media bait whenever he can.
It isn't the first time this season McKenna has thrown water on a small controversy to keep it from becoming a bigger blaze. When he was pointless through his first few games, he made some jokes about it the morning before scoring his first goal and getting his first assist, which painted him in a great light. It seems like McKenna really is built for life in the toughest media market.
Despite how quickly he deferred to Tavares, there is a case to be made that he deserves to stay on the top unit. Five of his 11 points this season have come on the powerplay, and there is something different about the top unit when McKenna is out there making plays. Tavares could knock in a doorstep rebound on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens and make fans forget about McKenna for a night, but as soon as it goes stale, expect the noise to pick up again.
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