Yukon’s Gavin McKenna becomes only second Indigenous player selected No 1 in NHL draft
Summary
Gavin McKenna from Whitehorse, Yukon, was picked first in the NHL draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is the second Indigenous player ever to be picked first and is seen as a key part of Toronto’s rebuilding plan.Key Facts
- Gavin McKenna is 18 years old and plays left wing.
- He scored 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
- McKenna played his freshman college season in the NCAA, scoring 51 points.
- Toronto Maple Leafs chose him as the first pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
- The draft event took place in Buffalo, the same city where Toronto last had a first pick in 2016.
- McKenna is the fifth player from Yukon to be picked in the NHL draft.
- Maple Leafs’ new general manager John Chayka supported McKenna’s selection and visited him in Whitehorse.
- The top draft picks after McKenna were the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, and New York Rangers.
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