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The Toronto Maple Leafs' tank this season could look to land a replacement for their current captain amid a rebuild.

Gavin McKenna, who is widely expected to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is making a fairly deliberate decision ahead of June. The left winger has opted to skip the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. Instead, he will focus fully on preparing for the NHL Draft Combine.

It’s a notable shift, especially considering how his season has gone. McKenna was originally expected to suit up for Canada in Zurich and Fribourg. However, his camp ultimately decided that staying in Kelowna to train gives him a better path into the next stage of his career. It’s less about avoiding something and more about controlling the environment he’s in right now. At this point in the process, that matters more than people might think.

McKenna has Great Freshman Year at Penn State

McKenna is coming off a monster freshman year at Penn State. He finished tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points in just 35 games. He also led the Big Ten in points per game at 1.46. In addition, he earned a spot as a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.

What really stood out wasn’t just the production, but how quickly it all translated. This was the first season CHL players were eligible to move into the NCAA. McKenna didn’t look like someone adjusting. He looked like someone driving the bus. After winning CHL Player of the Year with Medicine Hat in 2025, he followed it up by immediately becoming one of the most productive players in college hockey.

He finished the year setting a Penn State record for assists in a single season with 36. He also became the program’s first Big Ten scoring champion. For a freshman, that’s not normal. Even by top prospect standards, it’s a lot.

Skipping the Worlds to Prioritize the Combine

The decision to skip the World Championship really comes down to timing. The NHL Combine, which begins June 1 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, is now the main focus. His agent, Matt Williams of CAA Hockey, pointed out that while playing for Canada is always an honour, the smarter play is to arrive in Buffalo fully prepared. This week is the most important of the pre-draft process.

“It is better for his development to stay back, prepare for the NHL Combine and start his summer training, I know we thought he was going, but it just makes more sense. Canada has a deep team.”

McKenna already sits at the top of most North American rankings. At this point, there’s not much left for him to prove on the ice. The Combine, though, is its own challenge. Teams will dig into interviews, testing, and background details—all of it. It’s not always about who’s fastest or strongest either. Rather, it’s about how players carry themselves through the entire week.

The Draft is set for June 26 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. McKenna has gone from Yukon standout to CHL star to NCAA record-breaker in a fairly short span. Now it’s just about finishing the process the right way. He needs to show well at the Combine and wait for Toronto to make the call.