'Wasn't A Swagger Thing': Maple Leafs Rookie Gavin McKenna Explains Why He Missed Morning Skate Before NHL Debut

Breaking NewsNFL suspends 49ers owner Jed York 6 games, fines him $500KRead moreTRENDINGBrowns outlast SteelersDuren, Pistons reach dealJoey Porter Jr. trade gradesYankees oust Red SoxFantasy Football Trade TipsStory byStory by'Wasn't A Swagger Thing': Maple Leafs Rookie Gavin McKenna Explains Why He Missed Morning Skate Before NHL DebutAndre LealFri, October 2, 2026 at 6:08 PM UTCAbout Our AdsRecommended StoriesGavin McKenna reveals what really happened during NHL debutThe Leafs rookie opened up about his first game after Toronto's highly anticipated season opener ended in disappointment.HockeyFeed'I'm Glad We're Playing Again': McKenna Ready To Push For More After Maple Leafs DebutToronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna didn't make an appearance on the scoresheet in his NHL debut, but the 18-year-old is excited to jump back into action immediately.The Hockey News'Pretend That It's My First Game': Maple Leafs' Sergei Bobrovsky Clears The Air With Gavin McKenna Rookie Lap IncidentToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky clears the air regarding his interruption of Gavin McKenna's rookie lap on Tuesday.The Hockey News - Toronto Maple LeafsAdvertisementAdvertisementWayne Gretzky drops honest assessment of Maple Leafs’ Gavin McKennaWayne Gretzky has watched plenty of young players arrive with the weight of a country on them. He thinks Gavin McKenna is carrying his better than most. The NHL’s all-time leading scorer offered a detailed take on the Toronto Maple Leaf’s No. 1 overall pick, starting with an acknowledgment of the circumstances . “There’s a lot of pressure when you […] The post Wayne Gretzky drops honest assessment of Maple Leafs’ Gavin McKenna appeared first on ClutchPoints.ClutchPointsNHL Legend Wayne Gretzky Sends Strong Message on Maple Leafs' Gavin McKennaWayne Gretzky offered his view of Gavin McKenna as the rookie began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.Athlon SportsThe Hockey News Morning Skate: MacKinnon Drops The Mitts, Cowan Steps Up For Maple LeafsIn this edition of The Hockey News Morning Skate, Eric Cruikshank and Michael Traikos recap Easton Cowan's standout performance in the Toronto Maple Leafs' win over the New York Islanders, Nathan MacKinnon's fight in the Colorado Avalanche's win over the Los Angeles Kings, and more.The Hockey NewsMaple Leafs Season Opener Shines Light on Kirill MarchenkoThe Maple Leafs' Kirill Marchenko and Darren Raddysh were on display.Lindy's SportsMaple Leafs’ Easton Cowan Trade Decision Pays OffThe Toronto Maple Leafs had a lot of question marks this past summer, and one of them was what to do with Easton Cowan. There were NHL analysts out there who thought the Leafs might trade their young, talented forward, and the logic at least made some sense. Along with Matthew Knies (who has since […] The post Maple Leafs’ Easton Cowan Trade Decision Pays Off appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYThe Hockey News Morning Skate: Shesterkin's Historic Goalie Goal, Knies Shines In Blue Jackets DebutIn this edition of The Hockey News Morning Skate, Eric Cruikshank and Michael Traikos break down Igor Shesterkin's incredible goalie goal for the New York Rangers, Matthew Knies' dominant debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and more.The Hockey NewsMaple Leafs’ Star Opens Up After Wild First Day in TorontoToronto Maple Leafs forward Kirill Marchenko barely had a second before making his debut with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The newest Toronto forward faced many hurdles before making his debut.Marchenko found out about the trade around the same time we did, late Monday afternoon, before arriving at Scotiabank Arena early Tuesday to complete his […] The post Maple Leafs’ Star Opens Up After Wild First Day in Toronto appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYT.J. Hughes' NHL Debut Wasn't Perfect, But There Were Plenty of Promising SignsT.J. Hughes' NHL debut wasn't perfect, but the former Michigan standout showed plenty of flashes that suggest his first career goal — and a more comfortable game at the NHL level — could be coming soon.The Hockey News - Colorado AvalancheHabs Daily: Depth Impact, Early Criticism And Praise, KapanenHere are the Montreal Canadiens and NHL news items you may have missed on Thursday. Montreal Canadiens News Oliver Kapanen […]SportsnautJim Hiller Just Revealed What He Really Likes About This Maple Leafs StarThe Toronto Maple Leafs earned their first victory of the season on Wednesday against the New York Islanders. The Maple Leafs got off to a hot start, scoring two goals early in the contest and never looking back, defeating New York 2-1. The Maple Leafs got contributions across the board, whether that was on the […] The post Jim Hiller Just Revealed What He Really Likes About This Maple Leafs Star appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYJim Hiller Makes Major Maple Leafs Lineup Change After Opening-Night LossJim Hiller and the Toronto Maple Leafs are already hitting the whiteboard following the Maple Leafs 3-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens on opening night on Tuesday.Forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx draws into the lineup; however, Hiller did not announce who Groulx would be replacing. The 26-year-old split time between the Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies last […] The post Jim Hiller Makes Major Maple Leafs Lineup Change After Opening-Night Loss appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYMaple Leafs’ Easton Cowan Sends ‘Young Juice’ Message After Toronto’s First WinA two-point performance from Easton Cowan led the Maple Leafs to their first win this season.Athlon SportsReport: Maple Leafs' Desire To Deal Easton Cowan Decreasing Given Great Training Camp, Hot Start To 2026-27Easton Cowan's training camp and his hot start to the 2026-27 season are eliminating any reason for the Toronto Maple Leafs to trade the 21-year-old, according to a report.The Hockey News - Toronto Maple LeafsEx-hockey coach spots ‘eerie’ Connor McDavid similarities in Sharks’ Macklin CelebriniDrew Remenda compares Macklin Celebrini’s work ethic and habits to Connor McDavid.The Big LeadMaple Leafs Just Got Brutal Reminder of What They Gave UpThe Toronto Maple Leafs got an immediate look of what Matthew Knies could do, as he led the Blue Jackets to a win in his debut. The post Maple Leafs Just Got Brutal Reminder of What They Gave Up appeared first on HEAVY.HEAVYIslanders News: Starting with a whimper in TorontoThe Islanders and Maple Leafs treated us to a savagely uninteresting Isles 2-1 loss in Toronto to open the season, and one can only hope it’s not a harbinger, like one hopes the AI swarms don’t escape the lab and kill us all. Victor Eklund played his second NHL game, so that was neat, and […]SB NationHow to Watch Islanders vs Maple Leafs for Free: Wednesday Night Hockey TV Channel, Live StreamThe Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders on Wednesday Night Hockey. Find out how to watch the game for free online.Athlon Sports