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.
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"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.
