SouthernWorldwide.com – Toronto Maple Leafs’ top draft pick, Gavin McKenna, has revealed that he will be changing his jersey number for the upcoming season.
McKenna, who was recently on the ice with the team during their development camp, is set to make a significant alteration for the fall.
Previously, McKenna wore the No. 72 jersey while playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League and then again at Penn State during the past season.
The expectation was that he would continue to wear No. 72 with the Maple Leafs, and he did so during the recent development camp. Many fans have already purchased jerseys with his name and this number.
While No. 72 is often unique enough to avoid conflicts on most rosters, the Maple Leafs signed two-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on July 1. Bobrovsky has worn No. 72 for the majority of his career, with the exception of his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he wore No. 35.
This situation led to speculation about how it would be resolved. The question was whether the team would prioritize their new franchise player’s preference or defer to the established veteran.
It has now been confirmed that McKenna will be the one to switch numbers, adopting No. 92 for the upcoming season.
McKenna had to be resourceful in choosing a new number, as direct modifications of his previous number were not viable options in Toronto.
For instance, adding the digits 7 and 2 would result in 9, but that number is retired in honor of Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy.
Another potential change, flipping the digits to No. 27, was also unavailable as that number is retired in tribute to Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler.
Therefore, No. 92 emerged as the chosen number.
Reports suggest that McKenna was amenable to this decision.
McKenna is anticipated to be a crucial component of the Maple Leafs team as they aim to rebound from a disappointing 2025-26 season, which saw them finish at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
