Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has spent his summer training intensively alongside San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini as he prepares for his rookie NHL season.
McKenna, 18, has been practicing in Vancouver, British Columbia, with Celebrini, the 2024 NHL Draft No. 1 pick, who recently signed a five-year, $94 million contract with the Sharks, making him the highest-paid player in the league.
"He's a pretty intense guy when it comes to his off-ice and on-ice stuff," McKenna said about Celebrini.
"To be in that environment and get into a routine, it felt good. I had a lot of fun, and I felt like I got better."
McKenna revealed that during one week, they spent around 17 hours on the ice, highlighting the demanding nature of their training.
"Mac is crazy," he said.
"But every skate out there, you're getting better and it's a competitive group, so I had a lot of fun with it."
Celebrini finished last NHL season with 115 points, ranking him fourth in the league, behind stars like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
McKenna aims to follow a similar path, transitioning from college hockey at Penn State, where he ranked second in NCAA points per game last season.
McKenna also connected with Toronto captain Auston Matthews, the 2016 No. 1 pick, who has offered guidance on handling the intense media scrutiny in Toronto.
"We've had our convos and I've asked him for advice. He's been an open book," McKenna said.
Toronto missed the playoffs last season but has bolstered its roster aggressively, adding veterans and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
McKenna is expected to compete for a top-six forward role and power-play time in his debut season.
Speaking about his goals for the rookie season, McKenna said, "For sure, make the playoffs. Hopefully go on a run there with the team that we got.
And of course you want to win a Calder Trophy in your rookie season. I think if that happens, that's a pretty good year."
McKenna also shared how he has balanced the intense training with normal downtime, describing a relaxed friendship with Celebrini off the ice.
"Sometimes, when you're grinding and stuff, you kind of want to step away from the game and just be normal people and just talk," he said.
He briefly met with Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard, the 2023 No. 1 pick, before Bedard suffered a shoulder injury requiring surgery.
McKenna said, "We grabbed a dinner. So it sucks to see him get hurt.
I was looking forward to skating with him out there."
The Maple Leafs prospect grew up in Whitehorse, Yukon, and stressed the importance of humility and being a role model for his community.
"Growing up in a small community, you've got a lot of supporters," he said.
"For me, I want to lead by example and be a good role model for the kids and even the adults."
