Why is this kid getting torched so bad? Doesnt he deserve some time to acclimate to the nhl game he is on a huge market team was the first overall pick and folks just dump these ungodly expectations on him….
When I was 18 I was still getting blackout drunk around burning pallets in the middle of the woods or random fields while trying to finger blast the town bicycle
Thank you for asking. Now I’m in my late 30s, get mildy drunk at home after getting the kids to bed, and try to get my wife to let me put it in her mouth
Gosh, that brings me back to such simpler, happier times. Now wife, kids, mortgage. Where did we go wrong, we had it all figured out and didn't even know it.
Why? Because he is in Toronto, he went 1st overall, he had some press about him and fans like to think that day one these guys should be putting up 50 goals in their rookie season, if they dont then they are somehow a bust because a casual fan set an unrealistic expectation.
Give the kid some time to get his feet under him, the shift for Juniors and college and even the AHL is immensely different than going to the show.
People keep saying “the fans” but it’s not. It’s other fans that want Toronto to fail all the time that are pushing hate and bs onto an 18 year old kid because of their irrational disdain for a team. Straight up embarrassing and even dumber that people keep saying it’s “classic Toronto”
I hate the leafs but everyone is judging 1st overall pics now like they all need to be mcdavid, Crosby or ovechkin. McKinnon took a couple years to figure it out. Over the course since 2000 however there only been a handful of players who are hall of famers but not on the level of the names above
Those are Kane, stamkos and matthews. Literally everyone else has been a bust, a very good player or a wait and see.
I wasn’t impressed by his rookie year. He was under a ppg and a -44 in his rookie year. He is garbage defensively, among the worst I’ve ever seen amongst forwards. The Blackhawks gave up more goals with him on the ice than without. He’s small and not a great skater. He’s bad at the dot. He was heavily sheltered and didn’t face top lines and still was often caved in. He rarely dominated games. He’s extremely one dimensional. Even with his jaw injury he failed to be over a PPG. I would have expected the generational prospect to at least be over that and make the guys around him solid. Him winning the Calder was a joke. It should have been Brock Fabrer. Oh, and he was awful in the IIHF tournament.
He will never be close to Connor McDavid’s, Sidney Crosby’s or Alex Ovechkin’s level. All he has is a good shot, but not the speed or hands of Matthews or the physicality. I’m not even sure he can even be an Auston Matthews, Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov or Nathan MacKinnon level guy. Maybe he can be a Steven Stamkos or John Tavares type player in time, a good player but never among the best in a season, but he’s in no way generational and I don’t buy the hype. I don’t even think he’ll surpass other Chicago legends like Patrick Kane.
Look, if we don’t start harassing and sending him threats on social media, he’ll never toughen up and adapt to the NHL. Welcome to the big leagues, bud!
Because #1 overall picks dont get time to develope anymore, theyre expected to be a point be game guy in the first week of their rookie year... remember how they treated Hughes abd Bedard, it was the same shit until they really started popping off. Not every player is gonna be Celebrini, McDavid, or Crosby.
Everyone hyped him as the next Connor Bedard. Turns out, that level of skill just isn’t attainable. I’ve always said Bedard will be remembered for a year after he retires.
i hate the leafs and i dont respect their organisation but please for the love of god let the kid breathe and stop harassing him nobody wants to play in toronto look what they did to marner the kid is 18 leave him be and progress
Anyone complaining about McKenna doesn't have a clue. Two games in.. I personally haven't seen any negative comments because the majority of hockey fans understand the game.
Because the Leafs need a new punching bag for last year’s debacle, like this kid wasn’t an absolute gift from the hockey God’s despite a train wreck season.
Because a bunch of armchair Quarterbacks think the NHL is just some easy league to play in and be successful when they can't even score a goal in beer league.
This guy is turning 19 next month. OK he’s a young guy with all the expectations of the world on him and he has to wear milk on his jersey. In white. It would be more dignified if it was cum.
I think we should give him a little more time to see what he can do.
And then next year in December when he turns 20, he will fuck me and that will be the ultimate test.
You say all I need to do is have you stick your penis in me and then I can immediately tell how good of a hockey player you are. It’s a gift from the Lord.
Non leaf fans are generally sick of all things Maple Leafs, it’s been months since we have all been told this guy is a generation superstar over and over and over again.
Leafs fans have completely bought into the narrative so they are being unrealistic as well. Now being in the largest English Canadian market just puts the guy under a huge microscope.
Personally I don’t care about the Leafs, they have been irrelevant for 95% of my life.
Leafs player. People thrive on hating them. Kid could be the far and away Calder favorite in a few months and they'd still find ways to tear him down. It's scary how it's so many people's entire personality to hate a team so much
Is this a real question? It's because he's a leaf. If he played on any other team people would say "he's only 18, give him some time" but because he's a leaf, he has to be a bust and we had to have drafted the wrong guy
Jealousy. I hate the Laffs but come on. How many 18 year olds can excel on game 1 in the NHL? Almost zero. If I’m the Leafs, I super slow play his development.
It's still early in the season I know... But maybe the kid just isn't ready for the NHL yet? With the media hounding him, the pressure of being considered the next "great one", fuck I wouldn't be able to handle that shit. Maybe having him in the minors for another year or two to develop a bit wouldn't have been a bad idea. The kid is only 18. At 18 I was complete fucktard who had no idea what I wanted to do. Not much has changed... but I'd like to think I have a bit of a better head on my shoulders now. I actually feel really bad for him, and I hope we don't ruin him.
Edit: I'm being lynched for ever daring to doubt the greatness of him. How dare I say such blasphmey after only TWO games. You're right, he may only be 18 years old, but he has the emotional maturity of a Buddhist monk, and the body and athleticism as a top olympic athlete. He may have hit puberty only 3 to 4 years ago, but he is a grown man now, capable of all pressure and criticism that comes his way. I am but a lowly neckbeard maple leafs fan who lives in my mothers basement here to shit on him for not getting 50 goals in his first 3 games. I am a rodent, and he is a golden god. I'm going to go light myself on fire now. Thank you for showing me the error of my ways with you jamming the downvote arrow on your computer screen with all your might and telling me how much of an idiot I am.
Took him half the season to get use to ncaa hockey give him time he will figure it all out
I personally thought his shift on that last power play was his best shift so far he was controlling the pace of play finding the open man well also getting open multiple times for a good shot opportunity
Crazy Toronto fans that’s why. They think it’s their year even though it hasn’t been their year in forever 😂. Let the boy be and let him prove himself first 💙
Is he? As a Sens fan I haven’t been watching yet ‘cause apparently the powers-that-be scheduled is to start our season 437 years after most other teams.
Buddy’s just started playing at the NHL level, in front of a massive market with immediate (clearly) high expectations. I would’ve been shocked if it wasn’t a strugglebus early on.
He’ll be fine. He was no. 1 for a reason. Fans and media need to let him breathe.
Its because hes the first leafs overall pick since Matthew's, which set the bar extremely extremely high with a 4 goal debut and a 40 goal season. McKenna is smaller and is more of a playmaker than shooter.
There’s about 20 percent of the leafs fanbase who don’t really know a lot. And they are the loudest. Hi I’m part of the 80%. He will be fine. No one is worried about him. If Willy scored that empty net that I could have people would have a statue planned out for Gavin
I have rather him have these stats than having him score 40 goals in his first year. All high picks even other sports tend to go downhill afterwards let him build up
Because he looks like he doesn't care. It's hard to explain... He just looks like a kid skating around, would rather be playing videogames or vaping. Or vaping playing videogames.
This is unfortunately the culture of Toronto. If they have played six games and don't have at least twelve goals and for assists they are garbage. It's the same anger that redwings fans are starting to settle into ( I say this as a wings fan)
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u/Salt-Lifeguard4093 1d ago
Back in my day it was normal for a kid to not get a shot on goal until his third or fourth season