McKenna, Schaefer set for dream matchup as past two No. 1 picks face off Wednesday

The script practically wrote itself. On Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena, the two most recent No. 1 picks in the NHL Draft will skate against each other for the first time as professionals—Gavin McKenna in a Maple Leafs uniform, Matthew Schaefer wearing the colors of the New York Islanders. The timing alone feels almost too perfect: McKenna's regular-season debut comes Tuesday against Montreal, meaning he'll have exactly one game under his belt before facing his former teammate and close friend.

They met as teenagers on Canadian national teams, first crossing paths at the U17 level when Schaefer captained Team White and McKenna played for Team Red. The connection was immediate. By the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa, they were combining on plays—Schaefer threading a pass to McKenna, who buried it against Finland in a 4-0 victory. That same tournament turned bittersweet when Schaefer broke his collarbone against Latvia, an injury that derailed what had been a dominant showing from the defenseman.

When McKenna heard his name called first overall by Toronto in June at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Schaefer was there waiting for him. Having traded his gear for a suit and microphone, Schaefer conducted the on-stage interview with the newest Maple Leaf, a moment both found surreal and grounding. "It was funny seeing him there," McKenna said later. "He's obviously got that personality where he can kind of make fun out of anything. You have a lot of nerves hearing your name called up there, and then getting to see him kind of lightens the mood a bit."

Schaefer's resilience runs deeper than hockey. His mother Jennifer died in February 2024 after battling breast cancer, a loss he was still processing when he became the first overall pick that same year. Yet those who know him describe an almost relentless positivity. "You'd never think that he's a guy who's gone through all that stuff with the way he acts," McKenna observed. "Whenever you're in a locker room with him, he's always the loudest guy, the most upbeat guy, and just someone you want to be around."

Now McKenna faces the weight of Toronto's expectations. The city is unforgiving with its hockey stars, and the scrutiny will be immediate. When asked how McKenna might handle it, Schaefer—who grew up in nearby Stoney Creek and understands southern Ontario's intensity—offered straightforward counsel: "I think he'll do fine in Toronto. He's felt pressure before. We've all had pressure our whole life. Just got to play the game, be yourself, and have fun with it."

McKenna won't be entirely alone in that pressure. A parade of former No. 1 picks weighed in on what awaits him. Connor McDavid noted he'll have support around him. Jack Hughes pointed to Auston Matthews as an invaluable resource—someone who understands exactly what it means to arrive in Toronto as the franchise's savior. Matthews himself called McKenna "a special player" and "a special person." Even Wendel Clark, who wore the Leafs jersey as a No. 1 pick in 1985, tempered expectations: "We're not expecting McKenna to come out and dominate. I mean, if he does, awesome. But really, just come and grow and be part of the team."

Wednesday's game carries none of that weight for Schaefer, at least not in the same way. He's already proven himself in the NHL, having impressed in his first season. For McKenna, it's a chance to measure himself against someone he knows intimately, someone who has already walked the path he's just beginning. Two teenagers who became friends, now competitors. The NHL schedule makers, whether by design or luck, have given the sport exactly the kind of story it needed.