- Gavin McKenna faces Macklin Celebrini for the first time in the NHL on Monday
- The two No. 1 picks trained together in Vancouver this summer
- Read below for what McKenna said about Celebrini and his benching
Gavin McKenna and Macklin Celebrini meet in the NHL for the first time on Monday.
The Maple Leafs host the Sharks at Scotiabank Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET. It lines up the 2026 No. 1 pick against the 2024 No. 1 pick, and the two already know each other well.
McKenna and Celebrini skated together in Vancouver over the summer. McKenna told NHL.com what stood out about the Sharks captain.
“Just how hard he works,” McKenna said. “We spent a lot of time on the ice and in the gym and I think honestly that translates to his on ice stuff. When you’re working hard off the ice, it just improves your game.”
He was also asked about facing Celebrini and said he’s looking forward to it. “Every single game you get excited so to play against him, he’s a special talent,” McKenna said. “When I skated with him in the summer, I got pretty close with him.”
Celebrini has set a high bar. He put up 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 82 games last season, nearly double his rookie total of 63. He has 11 points in six games so far this season.
McKenna is nine games into his NHL career. He opened the year without a point in three games, then ran off a four-game point streak with two goals and three assists.
Then came Thursday. McKenna played just 6:36 in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Sabres and sat the rest of the night. He talked Saturday about the conversation with coach Jim Hiller afterward.
Watch McKenna’s pregame media availability from Saturday:
“He said it had nothing to do with my play, which is obviously nice to know,” McKenna said. “I trust him. I trust the team. That’s what they want to do, so I’m willing to play whatever role this team wants.”
Hiller had already taken the blame after the Sabres game. Here’s what he said:
McKenna got back to 17:56 on Saturday, third most among Toronto forwards, in a 4-1 loss to the Islanders. He had four shots and moved up to the top power-play unit with John Tavares week to week with a lower-body injury.
That is the Leafs team Celebrini walks into Monday. Toronto has lost three straight, and McKenna will line up across from the player he spent the summer chasing.
