Toronto Maple Leafs Shift Gavin McKenna to Third Line Ahead of Vegas Clash
Gavin McKenna is heading to the third line after recording his first NHL point and first NHL goal on a mid-range shot off an Auston Matthews feed during Tuesday’s 5-4 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators, sportsnet.ca reported. The Toronto Maple Leafs rookie will skate Thursday in Las Vegas on a sheltered unit alongside Nick Paul and Colton Sissons, a position he occupied toward the conclusion of Tuesday’s win when head coach Jim Hiller bumped left wing Easton Cowan up to play with John Tavares and William Nylander.
“We liked how we finished the game, so it’s just kind of easy for us,” Hiller explained at morning skate inside T-Mobile Arena, as reported by sportsnet.ca.
High-Speed Deployments and Offensive Zone Starts for Rookie Winger
NHL Edge data shows that McKenna is tied for 13th league-wide with 50 speed bursts exceeding 18 miles per hour, sharing the team lead in that category with Kirill Marchenko, according to sportsnet.ca. The rookie has registered at least one 20-plus-mph burst in each of his first four games, topping out at a maximum skating speed of 21.64 mph, which places him in the 69th percentile among all forwards. Hiller is placing McKenna heavily in scoring situations, deploying the winger in the 93rd percentile in offensive-zone start percentage at 5-on-5.
Naturally, the high-pedigree, pass-first winger has drawn comparisons to Mitch Marner. The two creative playmakers spent time training together over the summer in Muskoka. “The skill.”
Colton Sissons Returns to T-Mobile Arena After Summer Signing
The 32-year-old North Vancouver native signed a two-year, $8.5-million contract with Toronto in the offseason after speaking with General Manager John Chayka about reinforcing the team’s depth and penalty kill.
In addition to the lineup shifts, nhl.com reported that goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is projected to start in goal for Toronto against a Vegas squad that enters play with a 3-1-0 record. Bobrovsky is seeking his first win of the season, carrying an .887 save percentage through his first two starts.
Projected Lineups for Thursday Night in Las Vegas
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Kirill Marchenko – Auston Matthews – Jack Roslovic; Easton Cowan – John Tavares – William Nylander; Gavin McKenna – Nick Paul – Colton Sissons; Brandon Duhaime – Teddy Blueger – Bo Groulx. Defense pairs feature Morgan Rielly and Darren Raddysh, Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Troy Stecher, with Sergei Bobrovsky projected to start in goal, nhl.com reported.
- Vegas Golden Knights: Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone; Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner; Trevor Connelly – Tomas Hertl – Raphael Lavoie; Marc Gatcomb – Nic Dowd – Braeden Bowman. Blue-line pairings list Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb, Parker Wotherspoon and Rasmus Andersson, and Jeremy Lauzon and Noah Hanifin, with Adin Hill projected in net, nhl.com reported.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights Matchup
Why did Jim Hiller shift Gavin McKenna to the third line?
Hiller moved McKenna down to shelter him on the third line alongside Nick Paul and Colton Sissons after finishing Tuesday’s win against Nashville with Easton Cowan skating alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, sportsnet.ca reported.
What are Gavin McKenna’s early NHL speed metrics?
NHL Edge data highlights that McKenna has recorded 50 speed bursts over 18 miles per hour, tying him for 13th league-wide and pacing the Maple Leafs alongside Kirill Marchenko, according to sportsnet.ca.
Who is projected to start in goal for Toronto against Vegas?
Sergei Bobrovsky is projected to get the start in net for the Maple Leafs, looking to secure his first victory of the campaign, nhl.com reported.