The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the franchises to keep a close eye on heading into the upcoming NHL season. Toronto made multiple structural changes within the organization and to its roster.
The most important addition is undoubtedly Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall prospect from the 2026 NHL Draft.
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In a recent article, MarkerZone analyst Jonathan Ouimet opened the debate over the important dilemma head coach Jim Hiller will face heading into next season regarding McKenna.
Ouimet, aware that there is a possibility of taking McKenna’s development slowly and progressively, but also that he could become a key piece from the very beginning by pairing him with Auston Matthews, poses a question to Hiller: Is protecting McKenna’s development worth sacrificing his ceiling production this season?
The Big Question for Maple Leafs: Protect McKenna or Unleash Him?
Ouimet wrote, “Gavin McKenna is about to make his NHL debut, and head coach Jim Hiller has a real decision to make. Where does an 18-year-old with this much hype actually play his first shift alongside Toronto’s veterans? The obvious answer is Auston Matthews. Leafs AGM Ryan Hardy has already floated the idea, pointing to how McKenna’s playmaking could complement Matthews’ finishing.”
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The aforementioned journalist points out that throwing a rookie directly into a pairing with a player who recorded 53 points in 60 games last season is the kind of scrutiny that nobody in Toronto needs right now.
“A more measured option sits one line down: John Tavares, who still managed 71 points in 82 games last season despite being 35 years old. Tavares knows what it’s like to enter the league as a first overall pick at 18 and captain two demanding Canadian markets,” he added.
To explain his argument, Ouimet compares two different 18-year-old rookies from the past with McKenna’s current situation. He cites Patrick Kane, who recorded 72 points at 18, but also mentions Jack Hughes, who registered 21 points in 61 games as a rookie. For the Marker Zone analyst, McKenna could land anywhere on that spectrum, which makes Hiller’s decision so important.
“Unlike Kane or Bedard, McKenna won’t need to be Toronto’s best offensive player immediately. The Leafs already have that in Matthews. That’s the argument for sheltering him with Tavares against softer competition, rather than throwing him into Matthews’ matchup-heavy minutes from night one. McKenna’s off-ice habits suggest he’s already trying to close that gap, reportedly testing as one of the better-conditioned players in his draft class,” Ouimet added.
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As the journalist explains, head coach Hiller has already experienced both sides of this story, specifically mentioning Toronto’s 2016-17 rookie class and a playoff-caliber LA Kings side developing Quinton Byfield. It’s all on Hiller.
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