Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 30

Leafs Fans Rip Bobrovsky Over McKenna's No. 1 Rookie Lap, Reviving No. 72 Tension

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 30

Leafs Fans Rip Bobrovsky Over McKenna's No. 1 Rookie Lap, Reviving No. 72 Tension

Q: Did Sergei Bobrovsky’s superstition accidentally hijack Gavin McKenna’s Maple Leafs debut, or did fans turn a routine into a controversy?

Bobrovsky’s superstition likely did intrude on McKenna’s moment, but the backlash also appears larger than the incident itself. The facts are straightforward. McKenna, making his NHL debut as Toronto’s No. 1 pick, was due to take the traditional solo rookie lap before warmups. Bobrovsky, who is known for a long-standing ritual of being the first player onto the ice, stepped out before him and then stayed near the benches while McKenna skated. On video, the optics were poor: a once-in-a-career rookie tradition no longer looked like a true solo moment. That is why fans reacted so sharply, especially in Toronto, where McKenna’s debut was already carrying heavy attention. The frustration was amplified by the earlier jersey-number story, in which McKenna gave up No. 72 to Bobrovsky and switched to No. 92. Taken together, some supporters saw a pattern of the veteran overshadowing the rookie. But there is little evidence Bobrovsky intended disrespect. McKenna had already deferred on the number issue voluntarily, and Bobrovsky publicly praised him after their conversation. Goalies are also notorious for rigid pregame routines, and at least some observers around the league argued online fans cared more than McKenna likely did. So this was both a real misstep in presentation and an online controversy inflated by symbolism. Bobrovsky did not ruin McKenna’s debut, but he did create an avoidable distraction on a night that should have belonged almost entirely to the rookie.

Q: After a hyped debut and awkward pregame moment, how quickly can Gavin McKenna prove the spotlight belongs on his play?

Very quickly—if McKenna produces over his next few games, the rookie-lap controversy will fade into background noise. Toronto did not draft him No. 1 overall for a ceremonial moment. It drafted him because he arrived with elite offensive credentials: 51 points in 35 games at Penn State, immediate top-six projections, and power-play value. Even in a quiet debut against Montreal, the usage showed that belief. He played 15:19, skated with John Tavares and William Nylander at times, and got 2:33 on the power play. That is meaningful trust for an 18-year-old in his first NHL game. The opener itself offered a realistic reminder of the adjustment ahead. McKenna finished with one shot, two giveaways and a minus-2 rating, and he openly admitted it was “not great.” That honesty matters. So does the schedule: with another game immediately following, he has little time to dwell and a fast chance to reset. What will shift the conversation is not one highlight, but early evidence that he can handle NHL pace and create consistently. If he starts driving chances at five-on-five, helping a power play that went 0-for-4 in the opener, or putting up even a small burst of points in the first week, attention will return to what matters. In Toronto, the spotlight is unforgiving, but it is also highly reactive. One strong game, or a productive opening stretch, can rewrite the narrative just as fast as one awkward pregame clip created it.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 30

Toronto fans piled onto Sergei Bobrovsky after the veteran stepped onto the ice during Gavin McKenna's solo rookie lap before the No. 1 pick's NHL debut against Montreal.
Bobrovsky's pregame superstition drove the clash: the new Leafs goalie insists on being first onto the ice, so he emerged early and waited near the benches while McKenna circled alone.
McKenna still completed the tradition, but the moment drew outsized scrutiny because the rookie is viewed as a franchise-changing talent in Toronto's intense market.
The backlash also revived an offseason irritation over No. 72, which Bobrovsky kept after joining the Leafs, forcing McKenna to switch to No. 92 because No. 9 is retired.