No. 1 Pick Gavin McKenna's First NHL Goal: The League Is Watching What Happens Next

Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, officially found the back of the net for his first NHL career goal Tuesday night. This kid is already making noise in the big show, and it’s a moment no one’s gonna forget.

This kid is wasting no time making an impact, right? In the second period of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ game against the Nashville Predators, McKenna absolutely lit the lamp. And guess who set him up? None other than Auston Matthews himself, dishing out the pass for the rookie’s big moment. Talk about a welcome to the league, getting your first goal from a superstar assist.

Here’s the wild part: the goal wasn’t even his *first* career point. Earlier in that same game, McKenna showed off his playmaking skills, grabbing an assist on a goal by John Tavares. So yeah, he bagged his first point AND his first goal in the same night. What a debut. It’s not every day you see a No. 1 pick come out and make that kind of instant splash.

It’s clear this No. 1 pick is ready to roll. With a goal and an assist already under his belt, it’s gonna be a blast watching what McKenna does next for the Maple Leafs. Keep an eye on this kid, seriously.

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From the source Originally reported by Bleacher Report.