What Happened
Sportsnet published a way-too-early list of five frontrunners for the 2027 Calder Trophy on Sept. 28, 2026, one day before the 2026-27 regular season was set to begin. Toronto Maple Leafs first-overall pick Gavin McKenna was included. The 18-year-old was selected on June 26 after Toronto won the draft lottery with 8.5 per cent odds following its first playoff miss in nearly a decade.
Key Details
- McKenna, 18, went first overall to Toronto on June 26, 2026.
- Toronto won the lottery with 8.5 per cent odds after missing the playoffs.
- He had 41 goals and 129 points in 56 WHL games with Medicine Hat.
- He added 38 points in 16 playoff games as the Tigers fell short of a Memorial Cup.
- McKenna totaled 244 points in 133 WHL games.
- At Penn State, he recorded 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 NCAA games.
What It Means
McKenna enters the NHL with the scrutiny that comes with being a first-overall pick in a major market. His scoring record in the WHL and his NCAA production at Penn State give him a statistical case as an early Calder candidate, though the award race will depend on how he and other rookies adjust to the NHL.
What's Next
The 2026-27 regular season was scheduled to start the day after the list was published, giving McKenna and the other rookies their first NHL games to begin building their Calder cases.