NHL.com’s final mock draft projects Gavin McKenna to go No. 1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Draft. McKenna is listed as a Penn State left wing, and the draft opens Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Buffalo.
He finished tied for fifth with 51 points in 35 games this season, with 15 goals and 36 assists. After the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, he added 33 points in 19 games, including 11 goals and 22 assists, and helped Canada win the bronze medal.
Toronto Maple Leafs and McKenna
Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale authored the mock draft for NHL.com. The projection gives the Toronto Maple Leafs the first selection after they won the NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, with John Chayka leading the club’s management group.
The same final mock has the San Jose Sharks taking Ivar Stenberg at No. 2 and the Vancouver Canucks selecting Brantford center Caleb Malhotra at No. 3. The Sharks also hold No. 9 after acquiring that pick from the Ottawa Senators for William Eklund on Tuesday.
Buffalo Sabres at No. 4
The Buffalo Sabres sit at No. 4 after moving up when they traded Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. That leaves them behind a top three that runs through the Maple Leafs, the Sharks and the Canucks, even though the Sabres won their division and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
The first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, and rounds 2-7 follow Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. The board now points to McKenna at the top, but the selection still belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs when the draft begins.
