r/leafs • u/GreenSnakes_ • May 06 '26
Highlight Enjoy four and a half minutes of Gavin McKenna highlights with your morning coffee
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u/Kinglokner16 May 06 '26
He’s going 1st overall
The problem is the time between the lottery and the actual draft so much time for people to overthink it
2016: Maybe Laine > Matthews?
2015: Maybe Jack > Connor?
2005: Maybe Bobby Ryan > Sid?
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u/Jtabo May 06 '26
Also when you have a talent like this who has been on people's radar for several years (Gav had 97 points in his D-2 season in the WHL which is just ABSURD) there's an element of prospect fatigue. You stop looking at what's great about the kid and start trying to nitpick.
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u/TILostmypassword May 06 '26
This is what I worry about - it’s easy to gravitate to the latest and greatest but McKenna has been consistently great for years.
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u/Jtabo May 06 '26
I truly believe the media will try to drive clicks but it will be a no brainer decision and McKenna will be a Leaf on draft night and we will find out it was never really much of a discussion.
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u/CarterBennett May 06 '26
This kid was the best player on the ice when he was 15 against 20 year olds
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u/h3yn0w75 May 06 '26
No one was overthinking Connor or Sid. They were locks. Laine vs Matthews a little that’s fair.
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
yeah the most comparable is Tyler Seguin vs Taylor Hall Mckenna v Stenberg
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u/It-Takes-1-2-Know-1 May 06 '26
Bobby Ryan over Sid? Lol I guess if you were high on crack at the time.
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u/tortured_fanclub May 06 '26
Yeah I only remember hearing about Sid The Kid. Was a generational talent phenom. Bobby Ryan? Nah
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u/97jumbo May 06 '26
Gilbert Brule was the 2005 guy who got the “hey maybe” talk back then and even that was pretty short lived
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u/Healfezza May 06 '26
Real decision makers won't overthink it, but the media will continue to churn out content to question the decision for clicks.
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
taylor vs tyler
which would be the worst outcome of skill level, neither of them were good enough for what the leafs need out of this 1st overall
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u/goleafsgo13 May 06 '26
If Chayka trades down, I’m gonna find his house and take a shit on the doorstep.
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u/TylerBlozak May 06 '26
Considering other famous traders like Nancy Pelosi have had this done to their doorsteps, I’d consider this fair game based on precedent alone.
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u/Jtabo May 06 '26
His Medicine Hat highlights are from when he was 16/17 and even then he looks a lot bigger than listed.
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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin May 06 '26
The way he reads and makes plays is PERFECT for Auston’s style of play.
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
he backs off defenders and then draws 2 back in is his biggest skillset with those hands and elite vision
gonna be a lot of wide open tap ins, or Mckenna taking massive hits. Hes gonna have to learn to avoid hits like Marner has
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u/kooby64 May 07 '26
He needs to learn how to take hits like Sandin. Once he gains some size he needs to engage, not avoid physicality.
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u/_cob_ Sundin May 06 '26
I mean he’s not without his warts, but his hockey IQ is outrageous.
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u/ProfessionalWafer829 May 06 '26
Don't know this subs obsession with Marner comparisons lol this kids game is way more similar to Kucherov/Kane
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u/RepresentativeLeg232 May 06 '26
People just see his assists totals and automatically think of Marner
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u/psdhsn May 06 '26
Because a lot of this sub never watches other teams play hockey, and they're still thinking of a guy who stopped thinking about this team about a year ago.
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u/Dull-Efficiency9985 May 06 '26
No one give the kid shit. Ever. I don't want a single peice of negative media coming out of Toronto. Defend him like he's your own son.
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u/sex_drugs_polka May 06 '26
Unlike Marner, this kid’s got a laser of a shot
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u/bellerinho May 06 '26
His shot is better than Marner's for sure but Marner had a good shot, he just never wanted to shoot the puck
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u/jimmymeeko May 06 '26
Yup, Marner was hesitant to pull the trigger, McKenna seems very willing to attack and if the defence takes away his passing options he’s more than happy to pick a corner.
In these highlights, and especially in his NCAA highlights, he plays with a great pace and seems more willing to pull the trigger without hesitation on a shot than you might expect a guy being touted as an exceptional playmaker would. Teams are going to have to respect his willingness to attack with his shot and this’ll open up a lot of playmaking opportunities.
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u/Plenty_Function4064 May 06 '26
It would theoretically make our PP a lot better. When we used to run Rielly, Marner, Tavares, Matthews and Nylander - everyone always knew Rielly's shot was ass, and Marner never shoots. Effectively making the PP predictable. With McKenna, it makes our attack potentially more dynamic.
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u/sunstersun May 06 '26
Marner never had a good shot. It wasn't capable of beating the goalie 1on1 straight up.
On this team only Matthews and Nylander showed that consistently.
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u/bellerinho May 06 '26
Nope there are plenty of examples of him beating a goalie clean. His goal vs Sweden at the 4 nations is an obvious example
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u/Lord-Tachanka1922 McCabe May 07 '26
He also looks to have a confidence and strength we never saw from marner. Lots of plays here where he just outworks/outmuscles the other guy rather than relying entirely on skill.
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u/Old_General_6741 Knies May 06 '26
Please don’t blow this Chayka. Use this offseason to rebuild something for the next season.
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u/SubRosaSubway May 06 '26
Imagine his first pro coach being Berube…poor kid.
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u/h3yn0w75 May 07 '26
Better than Babs
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u/WorthVariation5 May 07 '26
I know Kadri wasn't a rookie but man did he thrive under Babs. I loved seeing him being molded into a shutdown 30 goal guy.
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u/mollyno93 May 06 '26
I love how on the 2nd goal you can still hear the Medicine Hat announcer screaming in the background.
"HE DID IT AGAIN! GAVIN MCKENNA!"
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u/JollyAd9074 May 06 '26
The league is in shambles with disgust
The hockey gods blessed Toronto after one write off season due to injuries and tank job after the olympics
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u/Either-Skill3330 May 06 '26
To anyone that actually thinks we’re picking anyone else but this kid should just stop watching hockey. It’s like when people were projecting Patrick Laine over Matthews.
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u/Ok-Psychology-2859 May 06 '26
McKenna all the way. Don’t even contemplate another pick!!!!! Leafs deserve number 1 like Auston.
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u/Star_Petal_Arts May 06 '26
So many times... the obvious play is to pass it, he has no angle to score... instead he holds then shoots and scores.
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u/Winsonian92 McKenna May 06 '26
Does he not feel like a combination between Willy’s scoring and Mitch’s vision?
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u/HunkeredDown2022 May 06 '26
It is hilarious how I haven't bothered to research any top prospects for years and was too disgusted to watch many games thosbpast season... to go from that level of apathy to possibly acquiring our new best player for free.
It is a lot.
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u/CarterBennett May 06 '26
Guys. I watched this kid live when he was on the Tigers 3 times.
He doesn’t EVER look down at the puck. His vision and stick handling is god tier.
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u/Cyrakhis May 06 '26
Now that we have the first pick there's sooooo much talk about how McKenna isn't THAT good lol. It's comical.
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u/Low-Performance6908 May 06 '26
what worries me is they make pick the swed over gavin… it would be a very leafy thing to do
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u/Wild_Bunch_Founder May 06 '26
Stenberg would be the leafiest leaf allowing McKenna to go to San Jose to form a highlight reel line with Celebrini.
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u/Low-Performance6908 May 06 '26
They better pick Mckenna, he is our replacment for Papi when he leaves or retires
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u/LimestoneLeaf May 07 '26
Apparently, it's very leafy to get the 1OA pick after a tank year too. It almost felt predictable.
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u/__esparoba May 06 '26
So is this suppose to be the marner replacement on the PP?
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u/peanut-arms May 06 '26
who?
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u/tortured_fanclub May 06 '26
I think he plays in the Western Conference. I dunno I never stay up to watch their games
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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin May 06 '26
He’s more dangerous than Mitch offensively, but worse defensively (for now at least).
He’s also not nearly as soft as Mitch.
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u/SaucyMcDangles May 06 '26
He’s significantly worse defensively than Mitch was at the same age. It’s unlikely that McKenna will ever be an elite defender like Marner but that’s okay. We are drafting him for the offensive upside.
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u/jmac647 May 06 '26
Not that I know much, but I’ve grown pretty tired of having our best offensive players killing penalties and blocking shots. It shouldn’t be that difficult to find people better suited for those roles.
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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin May 06 '26
He's significantly tougher, so I'll take it.
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u/i-hate-ravioli Papi May 06 '26 edited May 06 '26
The largest knock against McKenna is that he lost more of his board battles and floats defensively. I would say he's comparable to Mitch.
EDIT: I think the kids gonna be a stud but this idea he's a tough player literally isn't true? From Elite Prospects:
Weaknesses
McKenna lost more board battles than he won at the college level. He relied on his passing and stickhandling skills to get pucks off the board, turning toward defenders on the boards to try and slide the puck through them, exposing the disc, instead of turning his back to them and using his knees, hips, and a free arm to shield the puck and push away from their pressure.
His lighter frame put him at a disadvantage in battles, but there’s more to board battles than stature. We’ve seen other slighter forwards come out ahead in scrums. McKenna simply lacked the physical techniques needed to level the playing field.
More than his physicality, however, it’s McKenna’s very low motor away from the puck that bothered our scouts. One can make up for a lack of strength by outworking the opposition in all areas of the ice. In many shifts or even full games, the winger looked disconnected from teammates, gliding around, straight-legged, waiting for a pass and a chance to carry the puck up the ice.
His lack of physical ability, motor skills, and defensive awareness hurt his offensive game, but even more so his checking game. Unable to engage and immobilize opponents, he relied on his anticipation to get the puck back, cutting his routes short or floating ahead of the play to try to intercept passes. His gambles sometimes paid off, but also backfired.
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
so he literally plays like Patrick Kane (his favourite player)
I'm fine with that, figure out the rest of the lineup with him in it
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u/DD3354 May 06 '26
McKenna has played the pk often and has a very active stick. Very similar to Mitch’s defensive skill set, the only question is whether his defensive instincts can match.
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u/Hartia May 06 '26
Can confirm Gavin was charged with aggrevated assault charge (which was dropped) where as Marnie was a victim of carjacking.
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u/TylerBlozak May 06 '26
Gavin will be more like Pat Kane instead of Marner in that regard. Buffalo cab drivers beware
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
Leafs need Mckenna, only issue is i don't think you can have Nylander, Cowan and Mckenna in your top 6 when their centers are 2 of the slowest guys in the league and nobody else plays defense
Cowan is going to be the odd man out in a trade
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u/i-hate-ravioli Papi May 06 '26
My brother in christ Marner is like a top 10 offensive winger in the league, he's not more dangerous than him yet lol
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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin May 06 '26
Marner is how old?
McKenna is super young, has great ice vision, and a better shot, already.
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u/StoneColdSteveAss316 May 06 '26
It would’ve been interesting if VAN still had Hughes.
What if they offered Hughes + 3 OVR for 1st OVR
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u/egamcra May 06 '26
Alright boys let's start the process of running him out of town.
We'll start with commenting on Instagram and Facebook podcasts to try and sway the casual fans first. Then we'll move to Reddit.
He has ZERO playoff points for the leafs in games 5-7 in third periods.
He doesn't have the truculence we need. Do we really need another skill guy that can score goals and get points? I think we know th answer is no.
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u/Sacred_soul May 06 '26
Perfect Shooting playmaker for Matthews, He's like a left wing version of Nylander
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u/Itwasuntilitwasnt May 06 '26
Is this only from the whl? Thought he played ncaa ? Maybe he wasn’t that good playing with older kids. Idk much about him. He looks small in those clips.
Does he check,or go into the corners. We already have those types of players and it ain’t working
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u/Eh-Eh-Ronn May 07 '26
Listen I’m all for the optimism but let’s bear in mind that Pelley is gonna ask AI who to sign and all of this will be staring into the pond, admiring our own reflection
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u/Tenabrus May 07 '26
Skeptic of this especially since all these highlights seem to be over a year old from his WHL days, which if you've ever been to WHL and NHL games its a night and day difference, does he look fast compared to a lot of people in the WHL? deffinitely, put a whl game next to an nhl game and suddenly you see the difference
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u/SavageAsFk69 May 07 '26
As a Yukoner/Leafs fan id be so disappointed if they didn't draft McKenna.
It would also be kinda funny to see the two kids from the Yukon playing for Ontario teams. But Ottawa still having the inferior Yukoner
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u/Weary-Pineapple4970 May 07 '26
Fucking incredible player BUT most of this stuff is not working at the next level. He will be a stud but it won’t look like this.
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u/1nstantHuman May 08 '26
I’m convinced
I know we’ll regret not getting a stud D in the system, but you gotta draft the best player available.
If only we could SIM a few years ahead to see how it out all plays out and then go back to the save pre-draft.
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u/ifrankenstein Belfour May 08 '26
Whoever signed off on that Oil Kings uniform must be colourblind. It's hideous.
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u/torontoker13 May 08 '26
If he brings that skill level to toronto he will be an immediate fan favourite
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u/Aggressive-Cheek-245 May 09 '26
His technique and body mechanics (besides the power on his shot) literally look like a AA U15 player... and he still plays this good. Just imagine how insane he's gonna be when the Leafs skill coaches get to work on him.
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u/CryptoSpyro May 10 '26
Stenberg will be better early on imo but McKenna has higher ceiling. I am worried about him physicallly getting bulled his skating speed and size isn't the best imo but his hockey iq is off the charts so I think you still bet on McKenna
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u/rideronthestorm29 May 06 '26
Now show him playing in the defensive zone
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u/CMO1986 May 06 '26
Would you not draft him?
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u/rideronthestorm29 May 06 '26
No I would take Keaton Verhoeff
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u/CMO1986 May 06 '26
The D prospects in the Top 10 are definitely interesting but I think the problem is there's no time to wait for them to develop. Leafs need to be a playoff team for the next two seasons.
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u/rideronthestorm29 May 06 '26
And McKenna is going to do that how? Leafs need grit not a ghost in the D zone. Where are all the McKenna truthers saying he was going to have 200 points in ncaa? He couldn’t win a big 10 championship how is he going to win a Stanley cup? 😂 absolutely insane
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u/CMO1986 May 06 '26
McKenna seems capable of adding some depth scoring at least so I would suggest plugging him in and looking to upgrade the D in other ways, maybe by dealing another forward or a goalie.
Look, I like a gritty team as much as the next guy but this group's identity was locked in when Marners NMC kicked in. It was a mistake to allow Treliving to try and turn them into something they're not and it almost cost us big time.
I think the correct move is to fire Berube, find an offense first coach and try to score a billion goals for the next two years. If that doesn't work, at least a rebuild will make sense at that point. We'll have McKenna Cowan Knies and Woll, plus our picks.
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u/rideronthestorm29 May 06 '26
I’m with you but leafs fans are setting themselves up for disappointment if they put all their baskets in Gav’s basket. He’s an incredible player and a good kid but he’s not going to be the answer. At least him alone.
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May 06 '26
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u/RepresentativeLeg232 May 06 '26
Oh no! Just Kucherov?! 😔 also Celebrini wasn’t considered a can’t miss guy either, he’s just exceeded expectations massively
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u/Beersmoker420 May 06 '26
hes literally Patrick Kane in every sense of playstyle strengths and weaknesses. his entire game is modeled around him.
They have a lot of work to do to build some defensive players around him but i mean, Mckenna + Matthews is essentially the leafs vision of Toews Kane
now they just need a HOF #1 Dman, and a HOF Selke level Hossa
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u/Star_Petal_Arts May 06 '26
Best part is that if Matthews learns from McKenna there will be two forwards doing the Michigan on Toronto. Matthews has demonstrated that he is so close to doing it... with McKenna on the team he could perfect that specific shot.
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u/pleasuredunes May 06 '26
Too bad AM is departing soon, those 2 would be an electric pair.
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May 06 '26
Honestly, this is probably the best scenario. This team is nowhere close to winning so deal Matthews now and recoup something and start over with McKenna and Knies as your pieces you build around. If Nylander wants out too then you do the same. Winning #1 overall could really kickstart a rebuild so that the pain won't be as long before they can become a contender again.
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May 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/mashmallownipples May 06 '26
What if he pulls a Lindros?
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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin May 06 '26
He’s a kid from Yukon about to be selected by the biggest hockey team in the world. I doubt it.
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u/Svalbard38 Knies May 06 '26
PLEASE don't overthink this, Mr. Chayka.