TORONTO – Gavin McKenna has known for quite some time his NHL debut would come Tuesday night.
asserted
debut → know → time
The pair were among 10 players to suit up with Toronto for the first time in a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens as the NHL regular season opened for both teams.
asserted
season → suit → teams
McKenna was selected first overall at June’s draft after the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs for the first time in decade before beating the lottery odds, while Marchenko was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a blockbuster trade just over 24 hours prior to puck drop that saw Matthew Knies head the other way.
asserted
Knies → select → drop
“It’s pretty hard to forget a day like this,” said McKenna, an 18-year-old winger from Whitehorse.
asserted
McKenna → ’ → Whitehorse
“Getting to have that rookie lap, seeing my family on the glass in warm-ups, hearing your name called in player intros — it’s all pretty special.”
asserted
it → get → intros
Marchenko had a much shorter runway to prepare, and only learned around lunchtime he would be able to suit up after his immigration paperwork was completed.
asserted
paperwork → have → lunchtime
“It’s crazy,” said the 26-year-old Russian winger, who signed a six-year contract extension worth US$75 million with Toronto.
asserted
who → ’ → Toronto
“We packed, we moved with my wife … really busy.
asserted
we → pack → wife
But I’m happy it’s done and I’m happy to be here.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
I hate that we lost, but it’s still a great memory.”
asserted
it → hate → ?
“Dream for everybody being with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” he added.
asserted
he → add → Leafs
“But it’s happened quick.”
asserted
it → happen → ?
Get breaking National news
McKenna had a few nice moments, but also had some turnovers he wanted back before finishing a minus-2 with one shot on goal in 15 minutes 19 seconds of action.
asserted
he → get → action
“The first exhibition game, he talked to (the media) and said, ‘Ya, it was just an OK night, I’ll learn from it,'” Toronto head coach Jim Hiller said.
asserted
Hiller → talk → it
“He came back and had a really strong game.
asserted
He → come → game
It’s up another level again.
asserted
It → ’ → level
You just keep taking the test, and he’ll be back.
asserted
he → keep → test
I thought he was all right.
asserted
he → think → ?
But he’ll probably want to be better.”
asserted
he → want → ?
Marchenko was fired out of a cannon in his debut with eight shot attempts, including four on target, in just over 20 minutes of ice time.
asserted
Marchenko → fire → time
He picked up an assist on William Nylander’s opener 48 seconds into the first period and had a couple of great chances on Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes.
asserted
He → pick → Dobes
“A big boy, can make plays, shoots it,” said Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, who centred a line with Marchenko and Jack Roslovic.
asserted
who → make → Marchenko
“I thought for what he had to endure the last 24 hours — getting traded, flying here last night, getting here today, new everything, getting a visa, all that stuff — we had some really good opportunities.”
asserted
we → think → opportunities
Hiller said it will take some time for the roster to find cohesion with so many new faces, including defenceman Darren Raddysh and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, following a truncated training camp and pre-season.
asserted
roster → say → camp
“We looked a little bit like a new team,” said the coach.
asserted
coach → look → team
“We just weren’t connecting with our passes.
asserted
We → connect → passes
I don’t know if that has anything to do with nerves or being in the building for the first time, and the first time everybody together.
asserted
that → know → time
McKenna, Marchenko and the rest of the Maple Leafs will get another chance Wednesday when they host the New York Islanders.
asserted
they → get → Islanders
“It’s pretty special,” McKenna said of his debut.
asserted
McKenna → ’ → debut
“There’s not much I’ll forget about this day.”
asserted
I → ’ → ?
Canadiens winger Josh Anderson scored his 13th goal against the Maple Leafs since joining the Canadiens in 2020-21, which trails only David Pastrnak (14) and Kyle Connor (14) for the most during that span.
asserted
which → score → span
HIGH BAR
Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka was asked Tuesday morning about his expectations for the club after acquiring Marchenko.
asserted
Chayka → ask → Marchenko
“It’s unchanged … our expectations are always high,” Chayka said.
asserted
Chayka → ’ → ?
“We’re the Toronto Maple Leafs and ownership’s spared no expense to try to put the best product on the on the ice and support the guys and give us every resource to be successful.
asserted
ownership → ’re → resource
“We think Kirill could be a big part of that.
uncertain
Kirill → think → that
But we felt like we had a good group going in.”
asserted
we → feel → group
HONOURING A LEGEND
Toronto would have normally paid tribute to Cliff Fletcher following his death in June at age 90, but the former executive’s family was unable to attend Tuesday’s opener.
asserted
family → honour → opener
The Maple Leafs will honour Fletcher, whose first tenure included the franchise-altering trade for Doug Gilmour in 1992, on Oct. 15 when the club hosts the Buffalo Sabres.
asserted
club → honour → Sabres
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
