‘Mac is crazy’: Leafs’ McKenna on summer training with Sharks’ Celebrini
Two of the young stars in hockey today have trained together this past offseason, with one deserving significant praise from one of the new faces of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When speaking to David Alter of The Hockey News in Chicago on Wednesday, Leafs forward Gavin McKenna was asked about how he has been training over the summer in preparation for his first season in the NHL. He acknowledged that he had been in Vancouver training with several NHLers, including San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini.
McKenna recognized that Celebrini is a very determined and fierce competitor, even in the offseason.
“I was training with Mac and doing what he was doing, and he was a pretty intense guy when it comes to his off-ice and on-ice stuff,” McKenna said. “So, to kind of be in that environment and just get in a routine, it felt good. I had a lot of fun, and I feel like I got better.”
The 2026 No. 1 overall pick stated that the guy who was taken first overall two years prior isn’t afraid of taking on a heavy workload.
“My trainers probably won’t like to hear this, but there was a week where we were on the ice for like 17 hours…Mac is crazy. But every skate out there, you’re getting better and it’s a competitive group, so I had a lot of fun with it.”
McKenna added that he and Celebrini were able to enjoy each other’s company while away from the rink and workouts, simply trying to relax before the real grind begins in the fall.
“I think we just try to be normal people with each other. Sometimes, when you’re grinding and stuff, you kind of want to step away from the game and just be normal people and just talk…He was awesome to be around. I think I learned a lot from how hard he works and to where I kind of got to get. I think it’s all been good for me.”
While McKenna is expected to power a retooled Leafs team after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, Celebrini is becoming a superstar before our very eyes. Along with bringing the Sharks back to prominence, the North Vancouver native proved that he can hang with the best in the game when he was one of Canada’s best players at the Winter Olympics last February. Celebrini’s talent led to him signing a five-year contract extension on Wednesday, with his $18.8 million AAV making him the highest-paid player in the NHL.