Gavin McKenna set for Toronto Maple Leafs preseason debut vs. Montreal Canadiens on Saturday

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that rookie forward Gavin McKenna will make his preseason debut Saturday when Toronto hosts the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with broadcasts listed as TSN2, RDSI and TSN4. The club said McKenna, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is expected to play left wing with centre John Tavares and right wing William Nylander. Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller said the team expects McKenna to communicate with his line mates and emphasized a mentorship role from the coaching staff. Hiller added that he plans to congratulate McKenna personally before the game. The Leafs said McKenna has skated with Tavares and Nylander during the first two on-ice sessions since training camp began Thursday. Hiller said early concerns that McKenna might be overly deferential to established players have not shown up through the first two days of practice. Captain Auston Matthews said positively of McKenna’s confidence and playmaking in camp. Matthews’ comments, as relayed by the team, described McKenna’s impact on the group’s on-ice chemistry and his comfort at the NHL level.