As the 2026 NHL Draft approaches, projected No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna is leaning on someone who understands the spotlight better than most: his distant cousin, Connor Bedard.
Speaking during draft preparations in Buffalo, McKenna revealed he sought advice from Bedard earlier this year about handling the expectations that come with being the consensus top prospect.
According to Blackhawks reporter Ben Pope, McKenna said: “We’ve gone through similar things with media and the pressure. He’s always a brain I like to go to… He’s always been open to advice, and he’s always given it to me. He kinda just tells me to trust the process and stay confident. Sometimes it’s hard, but hockey is a big confidence game.”
The timing is significant. McKenna enters the draft as the top-ranked North American skater after an outstanding freshman season at Penn State Nittany Lions men’s ice hockey, recording 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games. The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the first overall pick and remain heavily favored to select the Whitehorse native on June 26.
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Connor Bedard’s experience offers a blueprint
Few players are better equipped to advise McKenna on draft pressure than Bedard.
Since entering the NHL as the first overall pick in 2023, Bedard has carried the weight of expectations in Chicago while serving as the centerpiece of the franchise’s rebuild. He is coming off a career-best season with 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games and is now the organization’s top offseason priority as negotiations begin on a long-term restricted free-agent extension.
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What makes Bedard’s advice noteworthy is its simplicity. Rather than focusing on endorsements, media obligations, or draft-day attention, his message centered on confidence and patience.
That approach aligns with how elite prospects typically transition into the NHL. Talent gets players drafted. Confidence often determines how fast they adapt once the scrutiny intensifies.
What Gavin McKenna’s arrival could mean for Toronto?
For Toronto, McKenna represents more than a top prospect. He could become a foundational piece alongside Auston Matthews and a core that still expects to compete immediately.
The Maple Leafs won the draft lottery despite entering with only an 8.5 percent chance, creating an unexpected opportunity to add a franchise-caliber forward. While new general manager John Chayka has stated that every asset has a price, league-wide expectations remain that Toronto will keep the pick and select McKenna.
“It’s a good probabilistic question,” Chayka said. “I would say, the probability is we take the pick, just realistically. We have had discussions. We’ll continue to have discussions. Obviously, everything’s for sale at the right price. But to date, there’s nothing compelling that we’re seriously considering, but there’s still time.”
From an NHL team-building perspective, that decision makes sense. Elite offensive talent on an entry-level contract provides enormous roster flexibility, particularly for a club balancing star salaries and playoff expectations.
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Blackhawks working on rebuild around Connor Bedard
Meanwhile, Chicago’s path is connected to the story as well. The Blackhawks own the fourth overall selection and are reportedly prioritizing defensive upgrades around Bedard rather than searching for another headline-grabbing forward.
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According to Pope, the Blackhawks are looking to draft defenseman Chase Reid.
“Chase Reid said the Blackhawks came to visit him at home in suburban Detroit and took him out to dinner. That’s interesting,” Pope posted on X.
For McKenna, Bedard’s advice may prove valuable over the coming weeks. The attention surrounding the draft will only increase. But if Toronto follows through with the expected selection, the next chapter of Canada’s newest hockey star will begin with a message he has already heard from someone who has lived it: trust the process and stay confident.
