Maple Leafs top pick Gavin McKenna kicks off his time in Toronto with a rough ceremonial pitch

Penn State star Gavin McKenna was the first to hear his name called (or rather, announced by Justin Bieber) in the 2026 NHL Draft, and he wasted no time getting to know his new city.

And what better way to get used to the pressure that comes with playing for the Leafs than by tackling one of the strangest high-pressure scenarios in all of sports?

That’s right, he threw out the first pitch in the Blue Jays game.

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Less than 24 hours after donning his Leafs sweater, McKenna was at the Rogers Center and took the mound to thunderous applause from Toronto fans.

Even though it looked like he was trying to hit the top of the CN Tower, he still technically took a shot and made the shot.

I have watched and analyzed many first steps in my life and I think I know what it is.

The last thing you want with your first shot is to not get it to the receiver. This is so embarrassing.

What I would do is put a little extra muscle behind my throw so that my throw goes through without any questions. Control is secondary.

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I suspect that’s what happened to Gavin McKenna.

And don’t think for a moment that he didn’t realize that this was a very impressive first-pitch performance. He knew.

“It was a tough shot,” he said. “I wasn’t proud of it.”

Hey, no harm, no foul. That’s why he plays hockey.

And boy, can he play hockey!

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The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Penn State’s Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

McKenna was the top player in the 2026 draft class for several years, and his solid season at Penn State solidified that.

But that’s a good thing because he’s no stranger to pressure and is expected to help turn around a Maple Leafs team that was abysmal last season.