Ellis: “He’s been compared to a lot is Patrick Kane and Nikita Kucherov…" #shorts

Hinzugefügt: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]Would would McKenna still be the clear-cut for um you know, a Vancouver or whomever else uh or are because it's Toronto we're we're over-analyzing, overthinking, over-talking about this this topic? Or is there like to what you said earlier kind of some teams and scouts view one guy, some view the other? What about Chase Rice uh or Reed, excuse me. What like how does that enter the equation, too?

[00:00:23]>> I think, you know, there's other I've heard other scouts that think like Albert Smith's is the best defenseman.

[00:00:28]I've heard other say Carson Carroll's is the best. Like overall, like it's it's pretty wide open. I think that's what kind of makes the draft fun. I think it if it the regardless of team, if I was making the decision, I'm betting high on the skill and I'm betting on Gavin McKenna because I'd hate to be the guy that said, "Okay, I know there's some flaws in his defensive game and he's not the most physical player." I will say those are two things he has definitely worked on a lot since the World Juniors.

[00:00:51]I will say also, you know, one guy that he's been compared to a lot is Patrick Kane and Nikita Kucherov. And we saw how obviously they've been able to have great NHL careers as well. Like from a physical standpoint, Gavin McKenna's basically on par with those guys. So, I think that's something where you look at and say you might not be too worried.

[00:01:08]That being said, you know, if Toronto was picking second, I would feel like if if Vancouver didn't get first, they would take McKenna. And then if I'm Toronto, I know the defenseman is probably what they could really use in that system. But then at that point, I'd still pick Iver Sdenberg because you always pick best player available at the top of the draft.