Gavin McKenna Changes Jersey Number: A Look at His Decision

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ top draft selection, Gavin McKenna, is making a significant decision as he starts his professional hockey career. Having showcased his skills during the team’s recent development camp, McKenna faces the necessity of altering his jersey number for the upcoming season.

Previously, McKenna wore the number 72 during his time with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers and at Penn State. However, with his move to the Maple Leafs, this number choice encountered a complication. On July 1, the Leafs added two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who has been associated with number 72 throughout his career since his days with the Philadelphia Flyers where he wore number 35.

The possibility of a jersey number conflict between the rookie and the veteran goalie prompted curiosity. Questions arose about whether McKenna’s number preference would take precedence or if respect for Bobrovsky’s established tenure would dictate the outcome.

The solution came with McKenna deciding to adjust and opt for a new number, 92, for his debut season. This choice arose after evaluating alternatives that were impractical due to the team’s history. Adding the digits of 72 provides you with 9, but this number is retired in honor of Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy. Similarly, reversing the digits to 27 was not an option, as it has been immortalized for Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler.

To ensure his new selection was appropriate, McKenna reached out to Jeff O’Neill, one of only three previous Leafs players to wear number 92, to confirm his comfort with relinquishing the number. O’Neill agreed, allowing McKenna to proceed with his choice.

This upcoming season, McKenna will be looking to play a critical role in the Maple Leafs’ lineup. The team aims to bounce back following a disappointing performance in the 2025-26 season, finishing at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.