No. 1 Picks Take the Mound
Gavin McKenna, the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ No. 1 overall pick in the recent NHL Draft, and AJ Dybantsa, the Washington Wizards‘ No. 1 pick from the NBA Draft, each threw out ceremonial first pitches at Major League Baseball games on Saturday. Both athletes, celebrated for their skills in their respective sports, had varying degrees of success on the baseball mound.
McKenna, known for his puck-carrying ability and playmaking sense on the ice, made his appearance at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. He threw the ceremonial pitch before the Blue Jays‘ game against the Texas Rangers. His throw to George Springer, positioned behind home plate, went wide, requiring Springer to jump out of his crouch to catch the ball. Despite the effort, Springer signed the ball for McKenna.
Dybantsa, a Brockton, Massachusetts native, took the mound at Fenway Park before his hometown Boston Red Sox faced the New York Yankees. Standing at six-foot-nine, Dybantsa delivered a high-arcing pitch that reached Payton Tolle behind the plate. These appearances followed their selections as top picks in their respective drafts.
McKenna’s Potential and Draft Day
Gavin McKenna was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft at KeyBank Center on Friday. The moment was described by McKenna as a special one, reflecting on years of hard work and sacrifices made by his family. Pop superstar and Maple Leafs fan Justin Bieber announced the pick, making McKenna the fifth NCAA men’s hockey player to be chosen No. 1 in the history of the NHL Draft.
McKenna, from Whitehorse, Yukon, was the sixth-youngest player in men’s college hockey this season for Penn State. He finished tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points, including 15 goals and 36 assists, and was second with 1.46 points per game in 35 games. He was also a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is presented annually to the top NCAA men’s hockey player.
Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager of Player Evaluation, Judd Brackett, spoke about McKenna’s potential, stating that his skill and hockey sense are evident. Brackett highlighted McKenna’s willingness to challenge himself by playing against older players and his ability to recalibrate and score at the World Juniors. Brackett also noted McKenna’s mindset off the ice, describing him as a competitor who wants to be the best.
McKenna wore a suit jacket featuring photos of his family and brooches honouring his Canadian Indigenous roots during the draft. He expressed that his family’s support was crucial to his achievement. McKenna is the second player from Canada’s Yukon Territory to be chosen in the first round of the draft, following Dylan Cozens in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Toronto General Manager John Chayka described McKenna as an exceptional young man with significant talent and character. Chayka stated that interactions with McKenna and his family reinforced their belief in him as both a player and a person, expressing excitement to welcome him to the Toronto Maple Leafs. McKenna joins a forward group that includes Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and John Tavares.
Draft Highlights and Other Selections
The Maple Leafs acquired 10 new prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft. Judd Brackett emphasized the amount of work and communication involved for the scouting staff in securing these players. He noted that while it is an exciting day, it is also a starting point for the players who must continue to develop.
In other draft news, Ivar Stenberg, a left wing from Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League, was picked No. 2 by the San Jose Sharks. This marked the first time since 2007 that two wings were chosen as the first two picks in the draft. Center Caleb Malhotra of Brantford in the Ontario Hockey League was selected No. 3 by the Vancouver Canucks, joining his father, Manny Malhotra, who was named coach of the Canucks on June 1.
Daxon Rudolph of Prince Albert in the WHL was the first defenseman selected, going No. 4 to the host Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres acquired this pick in a trade that sent defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Jordan Greenway to Chicago. Alberts Smits, a defenseman for Munchen in Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany, became the highest Latvia-born player selected in an NHL Draft when the Rangers chose him at No. 5.
The Sharks had three first-round picks on Friday. After selecting Stenberg at No. 2, they chose defenseman Keaton Verhoeff of the University of North Dakota with the No. 9 choice, acquired in a trade that sent forward William Eklund to the Ottawa Senators. San Jose then selected defenseman Ryan Lin of Vancouver in the WHL with the No. 21 pick, which was acquired in a trade with the Flyers on Friday.
A record seven Sweden-born players were selected in the opening round, surpassing the previous mark of six in multiple prior drafts.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
Ethan Brule is a Senior Hockey Writer at CasinoNews. He covered the NHL for a national Canadian outlet. He focuses on the NHL, the Maple Leafs and Team Canada and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Media from Toronto Metropolitan University. Now based in Toronto, he plays beer-league hockey and follows the junior ranks. “Hockey in Canada is never only about the score.”
