Top draft pick Gavin McKenna picks up first NHL goal, assist for Toronto against Predators

No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday nightTORONTO -- TORONTO (AP) — No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna scored his first NHL goal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.McKenna scored on goaltender Juuse Saros in the second period of his fourth professional game. The 18-year-old took a pass from Auston Matthews, beat Saros with a high shot.McKenna also had an assist on Toronto’s first goal by William Nylander for his first NHL point.“Big monkey off the back,” McKenna said. “That one felt good. That’s a goal I’ll obviously remember forever.”Toronto coach Jim Hiller described the shot as “a goal-scorer’s goal.” “By trade he’s a playmaker, but that was a goal-scorer’s goal," Hiller said. "Got his feet around it on the strong side, and he had some zip on it.”McKenna scored and dropped to one knee in celebration before getting mobbed by his teammates.“A bullet, top shelf,” said Toronto winger William Nylander, who finished with a goal and two assists. “I’d be very happy if I scored that one.”McKenna said his first points felt as though they were a long time coming, longer than three games.Popular Reads“Every single game I’ve been trying to get better,” he said. “I thought (Tuesday) was my best one. I think I’m taking steps in the right direction. Hopefully there’s a few more to come.”The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last spring, and beat the draft lottery odds by winning the right to select McKenna with the first overall selection in June.The Yukon native who played college hockey at Penn State was just one of a number of new faces to arrive in Toronto during the off season. The Maple Leafs added goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenseman Darren Raddysh before the club acquired winger Kirill Marchenko a day before its regular-season opener.McKenna, who tore up the Canadian Hockey League before spending 2025-26 in the NCAA, entered play averaging 14 minutes, 32 seconds of ice time with three shots on target and a minus-3 rating through three games.___See AP’s full NHL coverage hereSponsored Content by Taboola