Gavin McKenna's new Leafs number is official, and the story behind it says a lot

McKenna wore No. 72 throughout his junior career with the Medicine Hat Tigers and during his freshman season at Penn State.

He expected to keep it in Toronto until the Maple Leafs signed two-time Stanley Cup champion Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency on July 1.

Bobrovsky has worn 72 for most of his NHL career, and McKenna made the call quickly to step aside.

"He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion. If he wants it, he can have it," McKenna said at Leafs development camp in early July, per The Hockey News.

The two spoke directly by phone before the decision was finalized, and McKenna later made clear there was little debate once he considered Bobrovsky's resume.

With 72 gone and his usual backup choices, 9 and 27, both retired by the Maple Leafs, McKenna needed a new plan.

He settled on 92, describing it as a blend of the two retired digits, with the nine replacing the seven.

A viral story claiming McKenna FaceTimed former Leaf Jeff O'Neill for permission to wear the number turned out to be a joke.

O'Neill later admitted on TSN OverDrive that the call never happened and that he made it up on X, surprised at how far it spread before he came clean.

The jersey is now available to fans. The Maple Leafs confirmed on X that the official McKenna No. 92 jersey can be ordered through Real Sports Apparel, giving supporters an early chance to rep the No. 1 overall pick before puck drop.

McKenna signed his entry-level contract last month and is expected to compete for a roster spot when Jim Hiller's Leafs open training camp, with Toronto looking to bounce back after finishing last in the Atlantic Division in 2025-26.

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