The Toronto Maple Leafs collapsed to a brutal 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres after holding a 4-2 lead into the third period. But beyond the loss of two points, the one major thing that stood out about Thursday night's game was that top rookie Gavin McKenna was held to just six minutes an 36 seconds of ice-time.
Head coach Jim Hiller was asked after the game why McKenna barely played, and more specifically how he had zero shifts through the last 30 minutes of regulation.
Head coach Jim Hiller on why Gavin McKenna didn’t play after halfway through the second:
— Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) October 16, 2026
“That was my decision… we went for a stretch we had those penalties. We wanted to get him out there. He sat for so long and he sits through the intermission. Probably should’ve gotten him…
“That was my decision … we went for a stretch we had those penalties. We wanted to get him out there. He sat for so long and he sits through the intermission. Probably should’ve gotten him out at the start of the third. I’ll talk to him about that.”
Hiller then went on to add more that the penalties had some effect on McKenna's minutes, but again blamed himself that he should've made something "happen" and get the rookie out there. But the real kicker is that the Leafs coach also mentioned that he didn't want to put McKenna out on the ice when the Sabres were pushing hard to tie the game and then through overtime and all that because he sat for 30 minutes.
We wonder whose fault it is that he sat for a whole lot of minutes.
Gavin McKenna barely played but the Leafs could have used him
It doesn't really explain why exactly McKenna didn't play for an entire half of the game. If he wanted to bench a player for a mistake he made or just looking completely awful, that is the coach's right to do and some can get behind it.
McKenna was playing decent hockey -- maybe not perfect but decent for starting out another game -- and then just went away. Even Sportsnet's own Justin Bourne was so curious if anything happened where McKenna deserved his benching that he checked out all his previous shifts from Thursday. And, well he didn't really find anything of note.
K, rewatched 92 shifts. If play-related, could only be NZ. Few times you saw Alfie talk to him, few times BUF flew thru his side w/ speed. Still: he was good, few touches led to direct chances. No reason to be benched, which... if coaches answers are legit reason: concerning!
— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) October 16, 2026
That's just the experience of a rookie and specifically McKenna. He's not some defensive stalwart that will be winning the Selke Trophy this season. He has otherworldly skill and is able to pull off some magical plays to set up his teammates for goals. But still, after reviewing the tape, Bourne found nothing that really felt like it was deserving of a bench.
And now we have the head coach who didn't really explain why either. He only just said that he wanted to get McKenna out on the ice but then sort of forgot about it. That's not how you win hockey games and considering just how hard the Sabres were pushing towards the end, the rookie sensation from Yellowknife scoring another goal easily could have been somewhat of a solution.
McKenna has scored two goals and five points through the first seven games of his NHL career. That's a talent that deserves some minutes, not an unwarranted benching.
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