Gavin McKenna’s ‘intense’ Macklin Celebrini take after training session

The Toronto Maple Leafs are hoping for large things from Gavin McKenna starting in 2026-27. The Maple Leafs made McKenna the primary overall pick within the 2026 NHL Draft back in June. He’s the long run of this franchise, and he’s seeking to learn from one of the best, including San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini.

McKenna and Celebrini recently took part within the NHLPA Rookie Showcase. This event is placed on by the NHLPA to assist younger players make the NHL sooner moderately than later. These two young stars have also trained together throughout the offseason. It has been an experience for McKenna, to say the least.

“He’s a fairly intense guy on the subject of his off-ice and on-ice stuff,” the Maple Leafs draft pick said of Celebrini, via NHL.com. “To be in that environment and get right into a routine, it felt good. I had a number of fun, and I felt like I got higher.”

There are few young players within the NHL as highly considered Celebrini. The Sharks star broke the franchise record for points in a single season in 2025-26. At just 19 years old, he has established himself as considered one of the highest on the earth.

McKenna is trying to achieve those heights and believes his time with Celebrini this offseason may also help achieve that goal. The pressure is definitely on him as a No. 1 pick for a historic franchise. But the previous Penn State star understands the situation ahead of his first NHL season.

“I feel obviously everyone talks concerning the Toronto market, but at the tip of the day, I’m just on the market playing hockey,” he said. “To have that chance to get drafted to a market like that’s pretty special. But for me, I just try to not give it some thought, attempt to block out all of the noise and play the sport I like playing.”