Maple Leafs select Whitehorse forward Gavin McKenna with No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft
Toronto chose 18-year-old Gavin McKenna of Penn State as the first overall selection, while the Sharks took Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 and Vancouver selected Caleb Malhotra at No. 3.
Toronto Maple Leafs announced Gavin McKenna as the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old left wing from Whitehorse, Yukon, finished the season at Penn State tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points and was a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He became the fifth NCAA player ever selected No. 1 in the draft and the second player from the Yukon to be taken in the first round.
"I know how exciting this is for you and your family, and what an incredible honor it is," captain Auston Matthews said in a video message to McKenna.
Toronto general manager John Chayka praised McKenna’s talent and character, noting the organization’s confidence in his ability to contribute alongside veterans such as Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies and John Tavares.
The ceremony also saw Ivar Stenberg, a Swedish left wing from Frolunda, chosen No. 2 by the San Jose Sharks, marking the first time since 2007 that the top two picks were both wingers. Center Caleb Malhotra was taken No. 3 by the Vancouver Canucks, joining his father Manny Malhotra, the team’s new head coach, in a rare father-son top-10 draft pairing.
Other notable selections included defenseman Daxon Rudolph at No. 4 by the Buffalo Sabres and Latvian defenseman Alberts Smits at No. 5 by the New York Rangers, the highest draft position ever for a player born in Latvia. A record seven Swedish players were selected in the first round.
The draft, held on Saturday, continues with rounds two through seven later in the day.