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Toronto selects Yukon’s Gavin McKenna first, Bieber announces

6/27/2026

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Summary

Gavin McKenna Drafted

Toronto selected Gavin McKenna first overall at the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo.
Pop star Justin Bieber announced the pick on stage.
McKenna, an 18-year-old from Whitehorse, Yukon, posted 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 Penn State games.
General manager John Chayka and coach Jim Hiller praised the pick after the Leafs won the lottery with an 8.5 % chance, despite a 28th-place finish.

Summary

McKenna Embraces Heritage

Gavin McKenna was drafted in the NHL’s first round, the second Yukon player ever selected.
He wore two beaded pins made by his sister on his draft suit to honor his Indigenous heritage.
He left home at 12 to train at the RINK academy under former NHLer Bryon Ritchie.
He was named his First Nation’s 2022 Role Model of the Year, vowing to give back to the Yukon community.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 Aboriginal Hockey Development Program, funded with a $2 million federal grant, enrolled 1,200 Indigenous youth by 1998 and seeded pathways like the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships. Pioneers such as Fred Sasakamoose, who debuted in the NHL in 1953, proved the model’s viability. Gavin McKenna’s 2026 first-overall pick revives that legacy, urging fresh northern academy support.

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Gavin McKenna Drafted

Toronto selected Gavin McKenna first overall at the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26, 2026 in Buffalo.
Pop star Justin Bieber announced the pick on stage.
McKenna, an 18-year-old from Whitehorse, Yukon, posted 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 Penn State games.
General manager John Chayka and coach Jim Hiller praised the pick after the Leafs won the lottery with an 8.5 % chance, despite a 28th-place finish.

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