Toronto Maple Leafs sign top prospect Gavin McKenna to entry-level contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs used their first‑overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft to sign 18‑year‑old forward Gavin McKenna to a three‑year entry‑level contract. The deal pays a base salary of $1.025 million in the first year, $1.075 million in the second and $1.125 million in the third, with possible A‑bonuses of up to $1 million and B‑bonuses of up to $2.5 million each season, bringing total annual earnings to as much as $4.575 million, a record for a rookie.

McKenna will wear jersey number 92 after obtaining permission from former Leafs forward Jeff O’Neill, combining his earlier numbers 9 and 27. The contract ends his brief collegiate stint at Penn State, where he posted a school‑record points‑per‑game average, and follows a standout junior‑hockey season with 41 goals and 129 points in 56 WHL games. The Leafs expect him to join the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knight in the near future.