The Toronto Maple Leafs will hold the suspense around the first-overall pick until draft day, general manager John Chayka told TSN’s Gino Reda on Friday.
Attending the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo, Chayka said the Maple Leafs are likely to keep the selection, as “there’s nothing that’s compelled us to change our minds.” He said the team’s draft plan is to take the best player, though he would not commit to that being Penn State star Gavin McKenna.
“I don’t think we’re ready for that yet,” Chayka said of committing to selecting McKenna. “I think we’re still going through our process, and I think it’s important that’s what draft day is for. There’s a handful of players, I’d say, that are really compelling. You know, there’s forwards, there’s D. It’s been great to get to know them and dig in and spend time with all of them and get to know their backgrounds. What’s important to them and their families and we continue to do that work. So, not today.”
McKenna revealed earlier this week that Chayka did visit him and his family in his hometown of Whitehorse, Yukon.
“I just really wanted to connect with him and you know in his home,” Chayka said of the visit. “So they were very gracious his family to welcome me in and spend time with Gavin and his family. And I guess it’s important to us that we get the right person first and foremost and then we get the right player for the Toronto Maple Leafs and I learned it’s a small town and you know remote but beautiful and you know he’s a special person and special player.”
McKenna played his first and only NCAA season in 2025-26, recording 15 goals and 51 points in 34 games with Penn State. He had a strong performance for Canada at the World Junior Championship midway through the season, posting 14 points in seven games en route to a bronze medal.
McKenna is TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s top prospect for the upcoming draft, ahead of Ivar Stenberg, Carson Carels, Viggo Björck and Chase Reid.
Matthews has ’deep burning desire to win’
While there has been speculation around the future of Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, Chayka said the team and star centre are on the same page moving forward.
“I’m encouraged. We’ve had a lot of great discussions and honestly I saw a happy captain that takes a lot of pride in being the captain Toronto Maple Leafs, a deep burning desire to win, which matches our ambitions as well,” Chayka said of Matthews. “It’s been a great collaboration, just hearing his perspective over now a long period of time and the ups and downs and the things that have worked and things that haven’t worked. So it’s been open lines of communication.
“We’ll get together as we will with all of our players in person and spend some time and again share ideas and give them an update and hear his thoughts on things and that’s where we’re at.”
Coaching search continues
The Maple Leafs remain without a head coach after firing Craig Berube last month, shortly after Chayka was hired as general manager.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported earlier this week that Patrick Roy and Peter Laviolette are among what’s believed to be a long list of coaches the team has spoken to.
Chayka said the team is moving into “the next phase” of their search, but declined to put a timeline on when a hire will be made.
“I think it’s been a wide and deep search and that’s been purposeful,” Chayka explained. “I think it’s been a while since the organization’s had this approach and I think it’s the right one at this stage.
“Certainly with the group we’ve got, we’ve got an interesting mix of star players, some folks in their prime, some good young players coming in, some good depth players, and obviously the first overall pick on the horizon. So as you think about all of that, I think you need a coach that has some versatility, has some experience, can deal with a market like Toronto. And those are all some of the things that are important to us.
“But ultimately, I think we’re still early. We’re still working through it. And it’s been a good process to date. We’re kind of ready for the next phase. But the first phase will produce a lot of great candidates.”
Rebuild or retool?
As the Maple Leafs look to rebound from a disastrous 2025-26 campaign, the question has been asked just how deep a roster reconstruction will go - whether it is a retool, or a full rebuild.
Chayka wasn’t interested in committing to either word Friday, instead setting the stage for the off-season ahead.
“I think it’s a bit of a marketing buzzword,” Chayka said of making of a declaration on rebuild vs. retool. “And what I think we need to do is make really good moves, both for the short-term and long-term future of the organization.
“What those moves are and how they fit a timeline, some of that’s dependent on the market. But certainly as I see it, like I said, we’ve got some world-class players, we’ve got some amazing pieces. And we need to do more. So that’s the focus.”
Toronto enters the off-season with plenty of cap space, holding $22.3 million, per PuckPedia, with 20 players already under contract for next season. Nick Robertson, Matias Maccelli and Jacob Quillan are slated for restricted free agency, while Calle Jarnkrok and Troy Stecher are pending unrestricted free agents.
No update on Domi
One question that continues to hang over the Maple Leafs is the status of forward Max Domi.
The 31-year-old has been ruled out indefinitely due to complications following an off-season surgery.
Chayka said Domi remains in good spirits, but noted the timeline for an update on his status has not changed.
“Ultimately we’ll get to training camp and assess him from there,” Chayka said. “He’s making great progress every day which is the main thing.”
Domi had 12 goals and 36 points in 80 games with the Maple Leafs this past season. He is entering the third season of a four-year, $15 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $3.75 million.
