The Maple Leafs’ McKenna Question Isn’t Matthews vs. Tavares

One of the things I’ve always liked about Jon Steitzer’s work is that he doesn’t stop at the obvious answer. Yes, Gavin McKenna playing with Auston Matthews is the headline. It’s the easy conversation. But the more interesting question is whether the Maple Leafs are trying to create one great line or three dangerous lines.

Matthews and McKenna make sense on paper. Matthews remains one of the best finishers in hockey, and McKenna’s playmaking could eventually give Toronto the kind of controlled-entry winger Matthews has thrived with in the past. If McKenna is going to become a star, there’s a reasonable argument for putting him alongside your best player and letting him learn from the top of the lineup.

The McKenna decision isn't as straightforward as it first appears.

But there’s another side to this. Matthews has historically looked his best with a right-shot setup man. Mitch Marner and William Nylander both fit that profile. McKenna is a left-shot. That doesn’t mean it can’t work, but it does mean the Maple Leafs may need another right-shot option on the line, which is where Jack Roslovic enters the discussion.

Personally, I think the more fascinating experiment is McKenna with John Tavares. Tavares has spent years making skilled wingers better because he excels in the dirty areas of the ice. He wins pucks, gets to the front of the net, and creates space for creative players around him. A McKenna–Tavares–Nylander line would give Toronto a playmaker, a finisher, and a net-front presence without loading everything onto Matthews’ shoulders.

The risk, of course, is defensive play. A rookie winger learning NHL habits beside Tavares and Nylander could lead to some long shifts in the defensive zone. That's why Steitzer's suggestion of adding a player like Nick Paul or even Matthew Knies to that line is worth paying attention to.

The Maple Leafs finally have some choices about their first line.

For the first time in a while, the team doesn't have just one obvious answer. They have several combinations that could legitimately work. Last season often felt like a search for anyone who could survive beside Matthews. This year the Maple Leafs can experiment with McKenna in the top six, shelter him on a balanced third line, or move him around depending on the matchup.

And honestly, that may be the best sign of all. The question isn’t whether McKenna belongs in the NHL. It's whether they can find the combination that gets the most out of both McKenna and the rest of the lineup.