Gavin McKenna receives immediately praise and MVP comparisons from Kevin Weekes

Does Kevin Weekes see a Hart Trophy in Gavin McKenna's future?

The Maple Leafs selected McKenna with the first overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft and the ESPN analyst was quick to compare his game to previous league MVPs Nikita Kucherov and Patrick Kane. 

"In watching McKenna the last couple of years, what I see from him are shades of a Kucherov, shades of a Mitch Marner, shades of Patrick Kanes. All great players. All going to be Hall a Famers and being a winger that can generate like an elite center," Weekes said.

READ MORE: Maple Leafs land franchise cornerstone Gavin McKenna with No. 1 pick

Kucherov won his second Hart Trophy a few weeks ago and is the only winger in league history to have 100 assists in the season. McKenna will be surrounded by plenty of firepower on the top lines and on the power play to make him a good bet to be the second player to do it.

The Gavin McKenna-Patrick Kane comparison sticks out to Pierre McGuire

Pierre McGuire was quick to jump on the comparisons to Kane, who won his Hart Trophy in 2016, although he wasn't willing to fully commit to the bit.

"I'm not saying he's going to be as good as Patrick Kane, but if he could be a similar-type player to Patrick Kane that would be good," the former Ottawa Senators executive said. 

Gavin McKenna should become the primary facilitator on the power play

The power play is where NHL Network analyst Jason Demers that believes McKenna's passing ability will be on display immediately. McKenna's skills as a distributor is what Demers believes will set him apart from the No. 2 selection and San Jose Sharks draft pick, Ivar Stenberg. 

"I think a guy like McKenna, who is a very good passer and a facilitator is going to be able on the power play, at that flank position, to unlock that one-timer of Auston Matthews that we didn't see enough of last year," he added."

READ MORE: Gavin McKenna believes he'd be the perfect linemate for Auston Matthews

Matthews struggled to get going on the power play last season, finishing with just five goals and 12 points on the man advantage. Obviously, Matthews missed over 20 games last year with a left knee injury off a cheap shot from Radko Gudas, but the captain also missed 15 games last season and still managed 10 goals and 25 points on the power play, McKenna can fill the void that was left when Marner signed wiht Vegas. With the addition of Darren Raddysh and his ability to bury that slap shot off from the point off a one-timer, McKenna is going to have a lot of options to make magic with the puck on his stick. 

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