NHL Execs Sound Off on Gavin McKenna Before NHL Draft, 'I Wouldn't Want to be Picking 1 This Year'

NHL evaluators don't seem completely sold on Gavin McKenna being the clear option for the No. 1 overall pick ahead of the 2026 draft, despite years of the young winger being the assumed top talent in his class.

"I wouldn't want to be picking No. 1 this year," a scouting director told The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "There's a very good chance the best player in this draft doesn't even go in the top five. I also think whoever goes No. 1 will have unrealistic expectations put on them. None of these guys are (Matthew) Schaefer, (Macklin) Celebrini (or Connor) Bedard."

"There are six, seven guys for me, and they are all very close: McKenna, (Chase) Reid, (Ivar) Stenberg, (Carson) Carels, (Caleb) Malhotra, (Alberts) Šmits, (Keaton) Verhoeff," a scout added.

"There's no A's this year, just a bunch of B+'s," a scouting director said.

The debate among evaluators seems to center on weighing McKenna's elite skill and offensive arsenal against concerns about his physical profile and overall consistency, especially come playoff time.

"He's an excellent player," a veteran scout told Pronman. "In the middle of the season, I'm sure you'll see some highlight-reel plays, and some four- or five-point nights. But when things get tough, if that's the guy you're leaning on in the playoffs, our guys would be so excited to play against him. I would take Stenberg, Reid (and) Malhotra ahead of him."

"He's going to score a ton in the NHL. He's special with the puck and on the power play," an executive added. "My concern is he's like Artemi Panarin. He'll get his accolades, but he'll also be on three to four teams and never make real noise in the playoffs."

But some evaluators believe passing on McKenna's special offensive tools would be a mistake. He did just score 15 goals and add 36 assists for Penn State in 35 games this past season, after all.

"I don't think McKenna is separated from the pack, but I would still just take the guy with 100-point potential," a scout told Pronman.

"I think his development will go similarly to Jack Hughes," an executive added. "It may take a minute in the NHL for him to adjust physically, but he's so good that eventually he will become a premier scorer. Even if you're not a huge McKenna believer, at some point this conversation gets ridiculous, and I say that admitting that he drives me crazy. Maybe you like Stenberg or Reid more, but very quickly he becomes dramatically more skilled than the next best player."

In other words, there will be plenty for teams to figure out in the coming weeks.

The Toronto Maple Leafs won the No. 1 overall pick in the lottery. The San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers round out the top five.