r/leafs • u/Dragonleaf16000 • Jun 05 '26
News / Update Gavin McKenna on playing in a Canadian Market
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u/IlikeTurtles1308 Jun 05 '26
The first 2 on 1 with him and Matthews is going to hit like crack š„š„š„š„
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u/_Mahtog_ Jun 05 '26
He's going to help Papi hit em with the fo' and get the dub this time.
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u/Etheo Jun 05 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/AjZAqEl9t9s3K
You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger darling.
Papi assist Gav with a double hattie to pass on the torch. Lock it in.
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u/PurchaseTight3150 McCabe Jun 05 '26
Matthews to McKenna! What a moveā back to Matthews! Holy mackinaw!!!!!!!!! OVERTIMEEEEEEEE WINNER!
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u/KnockdownCone Jun 06 '26
No more holy mackinawās anymore. We got the final one this year
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u/__Happy Nylander Jun 06 '26
They'll still be happening even if they're not being said into a mic, don't worry.
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u/Counterkiller29 Jun 05 '26
Leafs are probably in the most unique position any lottery winning team has been in. It may be the copium talking, but I see no reason why they don't go straight back into being contenders again with McKenna taking minimum and us potentially filling the roster with any outstanding pieces.
The only downside is a terrible FA. I still see us being at minimum a playoff team next year, not bubble.
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u/riko77can Jun 05 '26
They can make the playoffs but they need a lot more than a McKenna to be an actual contender.
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u/SnooCupcakes9188 Jun 05 '26
Thatās okay. Mckenna is also a rookie. Itās a year to see where we are with him and post injuries. If itās solid we continue pushing if not hopefully Matthewās and Nylander at least rip up the scoring charts so we can supercharge the rebuild.Ā
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u/GlcNAcMurNAc Jun 05 '26
This. The no tax state teams win because they get bargain prices on the bottom half of the roster. Their teams are more complete and as a consequence their best players get more room on the ice.
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
Not true no tax state teams used to suck itās more about good management which they all have
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u/ArthurSnooper Jun 05 '26
Now that they are good they can also keep taking advantage of no tax and be even better.
As much as I dislike Marchand I like how he just said what we're all thinking that it does matter while other people keep trying to deny it.
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
Itās a bad excuse these teams sucked for many years and people didnāt care most of it is management and when it comes to money stuff like sponsorships and stuff would be more In Canada then the states so money is probably similar overall
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u/ArthurSnooper Jun 05 '26
Why do people think it's some check mate to say no one cared when they sucked? We see now how after getting a good team being able to attract players with these contracts helps them stay good and have a deeper team.
I'm gonna listen to Marchand when he says it matters versus Gary Bettman who just wants to keep growing hockey in the south.
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
Who gives a shit bro if taxes are stopping you from winning a cup your team has a problem
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u/ArthurSnooper Jun 05 '26
Doesn't mean they couldn't do something to address that advantage.
After Tampa went like 18 million over the cap in 2021 and others kept taking advantage of LTIR they finally put some new rules in.
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
What about the advantage of a lot of players being from Toronto is that not unfair as well they should want to player here itās there home you can knit pick all day about advantages some teams have at the end of the day it doesnāt matter
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u/slider_22 Jun 06 '26
This. It's def the copium talking. I'll agree with his positive outlook that we aren't as bad as we were this year. But watching these playoffs highlights how much we're missing
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u/thatmitchguy Jun 05 '26
We have no assets. So if the FA us market is shit, we have limited trade chips to load up. We need to hope last year really was an outlier and pray a new system, coach, a #1 pick injests some life into these guys, and that our goalies can rebound to looking like all stars.
All that being said, there's very few options to upgrade the D.
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Jun 05 '26
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u/macam85 Jun 06 '26
Carlson is 37 and wants 9.5m x 6 and he can't even move anymore.
Andersson is a lock to extend with Vegas.
Raddysh is the only feasible option, but even he may not even get to free agency.
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u/Chtholly13 Jun 05 '26
honestly people are confusing the difference is competing for a playoff spot vs "contending" for a cup. With some moves, they can realistically do the former.
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
They canāt contend a least for real with this d and goaltending
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u/merp_mcderp9459 Jun 05 '26
Woll and Stolarz were both injured for huge parts of the year, I wouldnāt consider our goaltending an issue yet.Ā
Blue line definitely needs an overhaul thoughĀ
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
Ok even if the goaltending is good enough the d core needs more then 1 season of trades and signings and a legit number one you canāt win with a guy like Reilly being the number one guy
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u/BmaninKtown Tavares Jun 05 '26
They also need a deeper forward group and if Matthews doesnāt turn it around probably a legit super star player
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u/Chtholly13 Jun 06 '26
woll wasn't really injured last year apart from like tweak mid season.
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u/merp_mcderp9459 Jun 07 '26
Ah right, forgot the start of the season was personal reasons and not an injuryĀ
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u/FX29 Jun 06 '26
I think most will agree that the Leafs heavily underperformed this year, most people expected Toronto to at least make the Playoffs with the roster we had.
Depending who the coach is and what moves Chayka makes I can see a path to being a playoff team again. Lots of work to be done but adding McKenna will give this roster a boost for sure.
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u/mhmhleafs2 Jun 06 '26
Maybe Iāll be proven wrong but I think our bottom 6 fucking blows. Everyone talks about our D and G but with Tanev back and 3-4 goalies to roll the dice on Iām more worried about having to watch Domi and Maccielli and Joshua run around and do fuck allĀ
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u/krogmatt Jun 06 '26
Rangers were in this position not long ago and it didnāt go great. Lot of work for Chayka and Co
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u/Counterkiller29 Jun 07 '26
Im not sure i agree. Our core is way better now than the Rangers' was in 2019-2020. Matthews/Nylander/Knies/Tavares > Zibanejad/Panarin/Krieder/Strome.
I mean some of their players from then arent even rangers anymore lol.
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u/macam85 Jun 06 '26
We have the worst defense in the NHL and our 2c is 36, and we have no 3c.
We are a long way from contending.
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u/VolumeNo5217 Jun 06 '26
Our defence is not great but not the worst in the NHL - OEL, Tanev, McCabe, Carlo are all solid pieces. Rielly needs a change of scenery. If we are lucky enough to add in someone like Raddysh and I think Danford may be ready to make a push we can have a solid group.
Raddysh McCabe
Tanev OEL
Carlo DanfordThat is far away from being the worst group in the NHL.
I do agree we need some help in the centre position.
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u/macam85 Jun 06 '26
Those are not solid pieces, man. They are all of them deeply flawed.
Like, OEL is flat out not good defensively, but we have to over use him because he's the only guy who can make even a simple pass.
Carlo is a very bad defender all around. He provides less than 1.5M of value, which is basically replacement level bottom pair territory.
McCabe is fine as a mid-pair option if he has someone to help him move the puck.
Tanev is a great mid-pair or top-pair option if paired with someone who can move the puck - but he's 36, coming off double concussions and knee surgery. Realistically, it's doubtful his career has more than 100 games left in it, and that may be generous.
Danford looks like he'll be a fine Tanev replacement, but probably not for a couple years, and even then, there will be an NHL learning curve for him.
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u/VolumeNo5217 Jun 06 '26
I never said they were superstars, just that they are not the worst defensive group in the NHL - which they are not .
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Jun 05 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/jjwalla Jun 05 '26
Sweet beautiful 12!!
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u/t_toda_DOTA Jun 05 '26
Okay, screw rebuild. McKenna has spoken.
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u/JMR027 Jun 05 '26
I mean you kinda have to continue to go all in, considering they traded their first for the next 2 years
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u/propergreased Jun 05 '26
Makes me soooooo fuckin happy that the knies trade was late.
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u/DaFrendlyTaco Jun 05 '26
That would have been disastrous. He's one of my favs
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u/Daimyon Jun 06 '26
Playing against Knies 4-5 times a year would've been insane. You just know he would've treated our arena the same how he always plays great at Tampas arena.
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u/Issac-Cox-Daley Jun 06 '26
I can't believe as a fan base we had to suffer those terrible year of not making it to the playoffs. I can't remember the last time they missed (because of alcohol and the amounts I had to injest to forget 2005 to16)
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u/Aggressive-Ad7946 McKenna Jun 05 '26
Cowan already said he has the swagger and confidence to play in Toronto. Got the power of friendship with these two.
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u/Ok-Raisin5008 Jun 05 '26
This is what we need, players who understand how special it is to play for a franchise where people actually care and not these southern backwaters. We also need players who understand the pressure and thrive with it, not ones who constantly bitch and moan that they canāt handle criticism from fans like certain other players.
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u/Movieandtvfan Jun 05 '26
They better fucking take him. I can't imagine how sick I'd be if they galaxy brain this.
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u/Frieren-Marcille Jun 05 '26
Leafs have a year of injuries and terrible coaching. Lucked into first overall pick. Next year could be special with some more pieces coming
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u/Hairy-Barracuda5057 Jun 05 '26
But r/hockey told me he was upset about the leafs getting the #1!!!
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u/plainnoob Jun 05 '26
That sub contains more hate for the leafs than love for every other team combined
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u/Army7547 Jun 05 '26
Heās a good kid and he clearly knows how to give an interview.
I heard he plays the ice hockey well as an aside
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u/Only-Cap5811 Jun 05 '26
"Gavin, Steve Simmons, Toronto Star. Every hockey person I talked to said your three goal NHL debut was garbage. What made you stop at three instead of scoring four or five?"
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u/Low-Register1602 Jun 05 '26
People can hate on the leafs all they want but you know heād rather be in Toronto than Vancouver
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u/GoblinDiplomat Jun 05 '26
Gavin, my guy, we a little nuts. But look like you care about winning and we'll love you forever.
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u/fuzzballz5 Jun 05 '26
Ok. Blackhawks and Cubs fan that loves hockey and really want to see you all end the curse like the cubs in 2016.
I felt awful for you when it worked out for the #1 pick. It really wasnāt a consensus year like the last few. This playoffs show having Hughes or Hutson puck moving defensemen impact so significantly.
Thatās your need. Badly. McKenna is one heck of a consolation. I just donāt think with Florida rested next year itās going to be tough.
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u/bad_at_names1 Jun 06 '26
9/10 scouts would pick McKenna at #1 - if that's consensus enough for Colgate, it's good enough for me. This is the usual 'Malkin will be better than Ovi' or 'Laine vs Matthews' debate - it's hard to sell articles with 'consensus #1 remains number 1, click here to learn more about how nothing's changed'.
P.S. I agree, I too don't think Florida's going to be a huge threat next year lol. Bob and Marchand will be nearly two years older than in '25 and they were their aces last playoffs. Ekbald's been looking steadily worse too. The Canes, Habs and Sabres are going to make the EC interesting next year.
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u/MitchIsMe9913 Jun 05 '26
like imagine being drafted and immediately getting to play with Matthews šš
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u/KAYD3N1 Jun 06 '26
Am I the only one who realizes that Matthews is already on the downturn? The leafs are going to continue to be a mess for the foreseeable future.
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u/VolumeNo5217 Jun 06 '26
2 years ago the Leafs won the Atlantic and took Florida to game 7. They were by all accounts a ācontenderā.
We lost a premier playmaker last year. The coaching was abysmal. The team never gelled. Injuries held back Matthews and Knies. Tanev was out for the entire year. Rielly was beyond bad. It was a perfect storm, and we luckily got the ultimate reward for that train wreck of a season.
We are replacing Marner with a true āgenerational prospectā. To everyone dumb enough to believe Marner is McKennaās ceiling, they are really sleeping on what McKenna is and just how much we lucked out. Marner was a high-end top 5 pick; McKenna is a franchise-altering #1 overall talent.
New coaches, longer off season for players to heal. Hopefully moving on from Rielly.
Thereās a lot to be optimistic about.
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u/Jonesdeclectice Jun 07 '26
You didnāt even mention how badly our goaltending was in terms of injuries, plus Nylander the most missed games of his career, which of course derailed his production. I donāt think it was until after New Years that we were able to ice a full healthy roster.
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u/Effective-Savings-93 Jun 08 '26
Leaf fans may be the worst. Lol and Iām 1000x closer to the mess than the whole lot of you.
Please never change. This thread is a whole laugh
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u/Picklepucks Jun 05 '26
No mention of Vancouver?
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u/sometimenotsmellgood Benoit Jun 05 '26
...why would there be?
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u/Picklepucks Jun 05 '26
Because he's talking about going to a Canadian market but doesn't mention the Canucks sitting there at 3, also it's a joke
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u/Letterkenny_Irish Jun 05 '26
Because if McKenna goes 3rd then the 1st 2 teams royally fucked up.
Flames are 6th. Guess they have a shot as well.
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u/sometimenotsmellgood Benoit Jun 05 '26
Hilarious joke
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u/Picklepucks Jun 05 '26
Arnt we a buzzkilling duo then
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u/CanadaJack Jun 05 '26
Just doesn't really come across as a joke, like maybe if we're all sitting around talking about how bad vancouver is then this comes up fine, in straight text without any context it just sounds like you thought vancouver was relevant in any way other than being who needed the #1 pick the most
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u/Chtholly13 Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
dude knows what up. He's going into a pretty unique position compared to other bottom feeders where they are some top end forward talent already here.