Skating from the rugged, cold landscapes of the Yukon Territory, this young forward who continues to emerges with his passion and skills in hockey is one step closer to his dreams of playing in the National Hockey League—and to make history.
This June 26, during National Indigenous History Month in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs are set to make the No. 1 overall selection in the upcoming draft.
Projected top pick of this year's draft Gavin McKenna of the Penn State Nittany Lions will make history as the first Indigenous player to be picked first overall in the NHL.
Gavin McKenna's roots
Gavin McKenna, hailing from the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation is set to make history as the first overall pick with Indigenous roots. McKenna expressed deep respect for everything his ancestors went through.
Before traveling for the World Juniors last December, McKenna's mother, Krystal, proudly shows the First Nations Vest his grandmother made for him to represent the Wolf Clan.
McKenna's grandfather, Joe Mason, was a survivor of Canada's residential school system. This government-sponsored, church-run network of boarding schools and was imposed on Indigenous peoples as part of a broad set of assimilation efforts to destroy their rich cultures and identities and to suppress their histories.
Running for over 150 years, the system stripped over 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children of their languages and cultures, resulting in widespread abuse, neglect, and intergenerational trauma.
As a tribute, McKenna proudly displays his tattoo located on his right forearm to honor his grandfather at the NHL Scouting Combine held last June 4.
McKenna noted on his new film titled 'The McKenna Project,' that reflecting on everything his grandfather overcame to get where he is today keeps him grounded. He explained that his own struggles feel insignificant by comparison, describing his grandfather's journey as a major source of motivation during difficult times.
"Without him, I wouldn't be here today."
Skating into the league
Doubts surrounded the young forward, even describing his move as "risking it all," when he decided to continue his route in the NCAA with The Pennsylvania State University, which was announced last July 8, 2025.
McKenna himself knew that there were a lot of risks with him deciding to go with this route. Words of doubt and the lingering thought of potentially losing that first overall spot haunted him.
He ultimately decided that at the end of the day, it was a risk he was going to take and believed that it was the best route for his development as a player.
The decision paid off. Choosing the NCAA route with the Penn State Nittany Lions ultimately solidified his status as the top-ranked North American prospect.
In the NCAA 2025-26 season, McKenna has recorded a total of 15 goals, 36 assists in 35 games, which earned him an outstanding number of 51 points for the season.
McKenna also played for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He scored 4 goals and added 10 assists in 7 games, winning a bronze medal and finishing the tournament with 14 points.
Winning the number-one pick in the 2026 NHL Draft lottery has changed everything for the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason. Now that the Leafs have the top pick, the team is fully expected to choose the top North American prospect: Gavin McKenna.
"It's hard to envision a scenario where Gavin McKenna isn't the first overall pick,"as expressed by Scott Wheeler, a national reporter for The Athletic.
With the Maple Leafs guaranteed to select the first-overall pick, they reassured not only Gavin McKenna, but the highly anticipating Leafs fans and analysts that they intend to select him in the upcoming draft.
BREAKING: The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly told Gavin McKenna at the NHL Draft Combine that they intend to select him with the first-overall pick, per @ShawnHutcheon. pic.twitter.com/Z3Yo9yQC9o
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) June 9, 2026
Knowing firsthand how heritage can impact self-belief, McKenna wants to reassure young fans from indigenous backgrounds who face similar doubts that anything is possible, no matter where they come from.
"No matter who you are, where you come from, you can do whatever you want. That's just kind of what I want to do. Make kids believe in themselves no matter who they are."Gavin McKenna
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