Gavin McKenna, Maple Leafs Agree to Entry-Level Contract After No. 1 NHL Draft Pick

Gavin McKenna is officially a Toronto Maple Leaf.

The top pick of the 2026 NHL draft has signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, the club announced Friday.

McKenna could make the jump to the NHL this fall after posting 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games of his freshman season with Penn State.

The 18-year-old is set to receive $1.025 million in base salary during his rookie 2026-27 season, according to The Athletic and TSN's Chris Johnston.

That salary will climb to $1.075 million in 2027-28 and $1.125 million in 2028-29, per Johnston.

That team-friendly contract will be key for the Leafs' roster-building plans. PuckPedia projects the team is right after the cap after signing veteran netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to a $7 million AAV deal.

McKenna can also receive up to $3.5 million in performance bonuses each season of his ELC.

Schedule A bonuses would reward McKenna for hitting certain production thresholds, per PuckPedia. Schedule B bonuses could be activated if McKenna ranks as a top NHL scorer, receives an All-Star nod or earns an NHL honor.

McKenna has been working with the Leafs this week as a participant at the team's annual development camp.

McKenna is entering what could be his first NHL season after a historic run through the WHL and NCAA.

He led the Big Ten scoring race while setting Penn State's single-season record for assists on his way to becoming the first NCAA player since the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini to be selected with the first pick.

McKenna made his NCAA debut after three seasons with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers, during which he set multiple CHL records including a 51-game point streak in his final campaign.

The Leafs made their first No. 1 pick since Auston Matthews after jumping up from fifth-best odds to win the draft lottery.

In the wake of the free agency departure of Mitch Marner and amid a scoring slump from Matthews, the Leafs went 32-36-14 last season on their way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Toronto is now helping adding McKenna to their top six, potentially as a linemate for Matthews, will help the team bounce back from its most disappointing season in a decade.