Maple Leafs HC Jim Hiller’s Decision to Bench Gavin McKenna Finally Explained - Heavy.com

No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft didn’t see ice in final half of OT loss to Sabres on Thursday TORONTO -- Gavin McKenna is ready to move forward after the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft was benched by Toronto Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller on Thursday.

Gavin McKenna played just six minutes and 36 seconds during the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena. His last shift came midway through the second period. “We had those penalties, I wanted to get him out there, he sat through the penalties, and then I didn’t get him out there through that stretch,” head coach Jim Hiller explained. “And then the last few minutes of the period, we were just trying to get out of the period, I guess you would say, and now I’ve sat him for so long, and he sits in the intermission. So, I probably should’ve got him out there early in the third. I didn’t, so I’ll talk to him about that.”The Leafs were shorthanded twice in the second half of the second period with Oliver Ekman-Larsson getting whistled for high sticking at 14:35 and Morgan Rielly getting called for hooking at 18:07. Zach Benson was called for interference at 18:33, which ended the second Buffalo power play after 26 seconds. McKenna, the first overall pick in the 2026 draft, is not part of Toronto’s penalty-kill rotation. Between the Ekman-Larsson penalty and the Rielly penalty, Kirill Marchenko scored to give the Leafs a 4-2 lead.

TORONTO — Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller isn’t sounding the alarm on his defensive corps just yet. The Leafs announced Thursday that Chris Tanev is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, reducing Toronto’s defensive depth. Hiller said he was comfortable with the remaining defenceman on his active roster, but he’ll need the Maple Leafs forwards to contribute too. “Tanev’s a good player; that’s well established, but we have other good players,” said Hiller after morning skate. “We just have to help them out a little bit.”Tanev was initially placed on injured reserve Monday, with the move retroactive to Saturday. The 36-year-old defenceman was hurt in Toronto’s 6-3 road win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. Tanev skated in five shifts in the first period before leaving the game. “What I was disappointed about a little bit on the trip is I thought we hung our defencemen out to dry just a little bit as a group of forwards with some turnovers, with some tracking,” said Hiller. “I think prior to going out, I thought we really were supporting our defence, getting back hard, not giving up odd-man rushes, and then it was a little bit of the opposite on that road trip.

The Maple Leafs lost 5-4 to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Wednesday is a travel day for the team with no media availability. The Leafs managed to break even on a challenging road trip, but Jim Hiller is not satisfied. “No. No. No. No,” the coach said. “No, I’m not.”When the Leafs left Toronto for games against the defending Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights, defending Presidents’ Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche and a fast-rising Utah Mammoth team, three points seemed like it would be a good result. So, why was Hiller left with a bitter taste in his mouth as he prepared to fly home? “Well, because we want to win,” he explained. “I mean, we could’ve got five points. So, when [you] say, ‘Are we good with three?’ No, not really. If you would’ve said, ‘Are you happy with five?’ We would’ve said, ‘Absolutely.’”The Leafs certainly had their chances to gain more points. Toronto squandered a 3-0 lead en route to a shootout loss in Vegas to open the trip. After an impressive win in Denver, the Leafs fell into a three-goal hole in Utah before mounting a comeback and coming painfully close to nabbing at least one point against the Mammoth.

MMA Fighting has Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley 2 live round-by-round updates for one of the most anticipated boxing fights of the year at O2 Arena in London, England, on Saturday afternoon. The main event is expected to begin around 5:30 p.m. on DAZN. Check out our Dubois vs. Wardley 2 results page to find out what happened on the undercard. Daniel Dubois (23-3, 22 knockouts) won the WBO heavyweight title in their first meeting this year with a 11th-round knockout of Wardley this past May. Fabio Wardley (20-1-1, 19 knockouts) suffered his first career loss against Dubois. He had won three straight heading into their first fight together. Check out the Dubois vs. Wardley 2 round-by-round live blog below. Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley 2 Live BlogThe rematch of one of the best fights of the year is just around the corner. Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois make the walk now. Round 1:Referee Steve Gray oversees this championship bout. The crowd is buzzing. Somebody gonna get hurt. Dubois strikes first with a jab, and seconds later connects with a right that wobbles Wardley! Wow! He touches canvas and we have our first 10-count, Wardley answers.

MMA Fighting has Dubois vs. Wardley 2 results for the Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley fight card and more for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year from the O2 Arena in London, England, on Saturday afternoon. When the main event begins around 5:30 p.m. ET, check out our Dubois vs. Wardley 2 live round-by-round updates for our live blog of the main event. Daniel Dubois puts his WBO heavyweight championship on the line against Fabio Wardley. Check out Dubious vs. Wardley 2 results below. Dubios vs. Wardley 2 Main Card (DAZN PPV LIVE now)Daniel Dubios def. Fabio Wardley via second-round TKO (corner retirement) (2:21)Louie O’Doherty vs. Michael Gomez Jr. ends in a majority draw (115-114 Gomez, 114-114)Adam Olaniyan def. Dan Garber via second-round TKO (1:15)Bakhodir Jalolov def. Soloman Dacres via unanimous decision (99-91, 99-90 x2)Nelson Birchall def. Levi Giles via seventh-round TKO (0:51)Dubois vs. Wardley 2 PrelimsTony Curtis def. Kerim Agius via fourth-round TKO (2:57)Zayn Ahmed def. Kasey Bradnum via first-round TKO (2:49)Leighton Birchall def. Luis Vara Carrillo via unanimous decision (60-54)Manny Safari def.