‘100 miles an hour’: Gavin McKenna jumps into Toronto’s top six
18-year-old hockey prospect Gavin McKenna is impressing coaches during his first practice with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is currently projected to play on the team's second line alongside veteran stars John Tavares and William Nylander.
Why it matters
The integration of a top-tier draft prospect into a professional NHL lineup is a significant development for the team's competitive strategy.
TORONTO — To the coach’s eye, Gavin McKenna appeared to be contained.
Toronto Maple Leafs shutdown man Chris Tanev, he of 878 games in the show, had seemingly boxed the 18-year-old winger into the corner during a tight battle drill.
“I saw him dance away and just do a nice little backhand sauce pass into space. That jumps out at you,” head coach Jim Hiller said Thursday, after running his first practice at Ford Performance Centre.
“So, those are the things that you’re just standing there and you see them and you go, ‘OK, well, that’s a high level.’ That’s what he’s going to have to do against veteran NHL defencemen when the real games start.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in