An Indigenous first overall pick
Courtesy NHL
Forward Gavin McKenna made history at the 2026 NHL draft, becoming just the second ever Indigenous player to be picked first overall when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected him.
McKenna was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, and is a member of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation.
At the draft, held in Buffalo, New York, McKenna showcased his Indigenous identity, wearing two beadwork pins made by his sister; he also lined the inside of his suit jacket with pictures of his family, with the word “Family” embroidered in orange accompanying it.
He also became the first-ever Yukon-born player to be drafted first overall by a team from the Western Hockey League (WHL) - one of the three major Junior leagues that form the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) - when the Medicine Hat Tigers selected him in 2022.
In three WHL seasons, McKenna amassed 244 points in just 133 games for the Tigers, leading them to a Memorial Cup victory in 2024-2025.
He also won numerous personal accolades in Junior. He was the WHL and CHL rookie of the year for 2023-2024 and he was the WHL and CHL player of the year for 2024-2025.
Following the 2024-2025 season, McKenna was one of many CHL players to make the jump to NCAA Division 1 hockey after a 2024 rule change allowed Junior players to be eligible to join the collegiate ranks.
NCAA hockey is sometimes seen as a better preparation for the NHL, as the average player is older and bigger than in the CHL.
McKenna joined the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions for the 2025-2026 season, where he led his team in scoring, with 51 points in 35 games.
He was the Big Ten Conference’s scoring champion and was also named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year.
A decision has not yet been made on whether or not McKenna will return to college or play with the Maple Leafs in 2026-2027.
The first ever Indigenous player selected first overall in the NHL draft was Dale McCourt, a member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg First Nation, who was drafted with the first pick in the 1977 draft by the Detroit Red Wings.
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McCourt played seven seasons in the NHL with Detroit, the Buffalo Sabres, and Toronto, before finishing his playing career in Switzerland. In 532 career NHL games, he scored 478 points.
