The Maple Leafs top pick McKenna walked into development camp knowing he had worn No. 72 for most of his life, but he also knew Sergei Bobrovsky had just signed a three-year deal and carried that number through a two-time Stanley Cup career. He was not going to touch it.
He said as much to reporters, explaining that he spoke directly with Bobrovsky about the number and immediately backed off. That moment set the tone for how he wants to enter the league. He is aware of the room, aware of the veterans, and aware of the history he is stepping into.
Toronto announced Friday that McKenna will wear No. 92, a number with almost no organizational baggage and one that lets him build something new. It is a clean start for a player expected to become a franchise pillar.
Why McKenna moved on from No. 72
McKenna wore 72 at Penn State and with Medicine Hat, and it became part of his identity long before the draft spotlight. But Toronto is not a franchise where you casually grab a number and hope nobody notices. His fallback options were not available either. Nos. 9 and 27, numbers he has worn at different points, are retired for Charlie Conacher, Ted Kennedy, Darryl Sittler, and Frank Mahovlich.
The Leafs have a long history of players choosing numbers that carry meaning or create separation from their junior careers. McKenna wanted something that felt like his own without disrespecting the players who came before him.
Why No. 92 made sense
No. 92 is not a number with heavy Leafs history, and that is exactly why it works. McKenna becomes just the fourth player in franchise history to wear it, following Jeff ONeill, Igor Ozhiganov, and Alexander Nylander. It is a blank canvas, a number he can define rather than inherit.
McKenna plays with pace, creativity, and a sense of control that fits a number outside the traditional forward range. It is modern. It is distinct. And for a first overall pick stepping into one of the league’s most scrutinized markets, it is a number that lets him build his own lane.
What the choice says about McKenna
The Leafs signed McKenna to his three year entry level deal on Friday, and the jersey decision arrived right behind it. It is a small moment, but it reveals how he is approaching his first NHL season. He is not trying to force his junior identity into a veteran locker room.
McKenna’s decision to defer to Bobrovsky was not performative. It was instinctive. And for a teenager stepping into a franchise that demands maturity from Day 1, that matters. No. 92 is McKenna’s first choice as a Maple Leaf, and the first sign of how he plans to carry himself in Toronto.
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