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Ranking Prospects 2026-27

Obvintsev is quite an aggressive mover in net to cut off angles. He got beat far side glove as a result of that but he’s been pretty good for someone who never gets to play much.

Leafs had lots of puck control in period one but got sloppy (or couldn’t handle the senator counters as well) in the second.

Trailing 2-1 with just under 10 left in the third, the Leafs set up some zone time and Liljegren Luke Haymes ties it up.
 
Plumins is pretty dialed in on all sorts of high danger slop. Just gave up a shorty off a nifty high pass though.

Borgesi is another clear standout in this game (and yesterday) as a more mature and skilled skater. Plays bigger than his listed 5’8” and could get a closer look at his direct NHL comparable in Blankenburg next week.
 
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Either the refs are in preseason form with the nets, or Patriks Plumins watched some Matt Murray video as part of his training camp.
 
Jets clawed back to within one with the extra skater (and a PP), but Nansi closes it out off the draw into the empty net. 6-4 win
 
PPP: 3&2. Easton Cowan & Matthew Knies

Not a tie but editorially equal.

PPP voters chose Knies over Cowan, for the obvious reasons of Bigger, more established, more points. I think the internal debate within this article is worth thinking about, especially now with a new #1 T25U25 that technically occupies the same lineup slot as these two. It's nice to have them all, but it would also be nice to have a similar aged (or prime) playdriver from the defense.
 
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It's cool to see Plumins moving to the Q for this season. Like Obvintsev his overall games played the last couple years seems a little low so hopefully he can get a lot more starts there.

The Leafs haven't had a goalie play their junior seasons in North America in a pretty long time. Zachary Bouthillier (QMJHL), Ian Scott (WHL), and of course Joseph Woll (NCAA) were the last ones.
 
It's cool to see Plumins moving to the Q for this season. Like Obvintsev his overall games played the last couple years seems a little low so hopefully he can get a lot more starts there.

The Leafs haven't had a goalie play their junior seasons in North America in a pretty long time. Zachary Bouthillier (QMJHL), Ian Scott (WHL), and of course Joseph Woll (NCAA) were the last ones.

That final Ian Scott run before he succumbed to boneitis was epic.
 
PPP: 1. Gavin McKenna

We have not been able to see McKenna in any game action since the Leafs won the lottery, but very soon (next week!) preseason action kicks in. The shortened camp is great for fans but tough for team evaluation and building out a new system with a new coaching staff and significant roster turnover. It will be a difficult grind for a rookie, so the expectations for McKenna's first full season will have to be muted as he is landing fully insulated on a veteran, and hopefully competitive roster.

That said, McKenna was destroying CHL competition almost single-handedly D-1 as an undersized player without standout physical traits that gave any advantage over junior peers. He led his garbage team as a freshman at Penn State without proper coaching and system structure with the same undersized traits against adult opponents who made it a point to try to bully him off his game. He is extremely good at doing the hardest thing in the sport: creating offense for his team.

Aside from the on-ice deliverables, it's clear Gavin McKenna has some underlying characteristics that are the hallmark of successful professional hockey players. He pursues pressure and challenge as fuel and motivation; he understands his strengths and plays to them when advantageous; he is obsessive about the details of his own play and the game as a whole; and he understands his career is dependent on his work building up a foundation in his body and habits, not showcasing putting up points. Whether it is innate or trained, McKenna toes the line between confidence in his abilities and standing, and team-first attitude.

Here's a fun draft profile of McKenna from Chris Whalen

Selfishly, it's going to be fun having another William Nylander on the team
 
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PPP: 1. Gavin McKenna

We have not been able to see McKenna in any game action since the Leafs won the lottery, but very soon (next week!) preseason action kicks in. The shortened camp is great for fans but tough for team evaluation and building out a new system with a new coaching staff and significant roster turnover. It will be a difficult grind for a rookie, so the expectations for McKenna's first full season will have to be muted as he is landing fully insulated on a veteran, and hopefully competitive roster.

That said, McKenna was destroying CHL competition almost single-handedly D-1 as an undersized player without standout physical traits that gave any advantage over junior peers. He led his garbage team as a freshman at Penn State without proper coaching and system structure with the same undersized traits against adult opponents who made it a point to try to bully him off his game. He is extremely good at doing the hardest thing in the sport: creating offense for his team.

Aside from the on-ice deliverables, it's clear Gavin McKenna has some underlying characteristics that are the hallmark of successful professional hockey players. He pursues pressure and challenge as fuel and motivation; he understands his strengths and plays to them when advantageous; he is obsessive about the details of his own play and the game as a whole; and he understands his career is dependent on his work building up a foundation in his body and habits, not showcasing putting up points. Whether it is innate or trained, McKenna toes the line between confidence in his abilities and standing, and team-first attitude.

Here's a fun draft profile of McKenna from Chris Whalen

Well he probably won't be double shifted and play 30 minutes a night like some games in the NCAA.

It's an interesting situation he lands on a veteran laden team with two other first overall picks on the roster. Most of the time first overall picks land on an absolute crap team.

Reminds me a little of when HE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED was drafted and we were worried he was going to get absolutely rocked on the ice.
 
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