Maple Leafs or not, Yukon's Gavin McKenna set to make hockey history in NHL draft

When Whitehorse's Dylan Cozens was picked seventh overall at the 2019 National Hockey League draft by the Buffalo Sabres, it changed how the hockey world saw the Yukon.

Never before had a player from the territory been drafted in the first round, let alone the top 10.

More history will likely be made on Friday when another Yukoner — Gavin McKenna of Whitehorse — is projected to be the first overall selection at this year's draft. McKenna is considered by many to be the best 18-year-old hockey player in the world.

"I think all signs point to Gavin," said TSN hockey analyst Craig Button.

Cozens agrees.

“It's so awesome to see another kid from Whitehorse, especially him, and how well he's done to get that attention and be the favourite to go first overall,” said Cozens. “I mean yeah, I think he's going first for sure.”

Should that happen, it would be just the second time an Indigenous hockey player from Canada was drafted first overall. McKenna is a citizen of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation in the Yukon.

In 1977, Dale McCourt of the Frog Lake First Nation in Alberta was selected first overall, by the Detroit Red Wings.

“There was no fanfare,” recalled McCourt. “There was no correlation of being First Nations, the job was hockey. And at that time there was no reconciliaton the way it is now."

Hockey fans in the Yukon are excited to see what happens Friday night, including Karee Vallevand. For 19 years, she's run the annual Yukon Native Hockey tournament in Whitehorse.

“I think it's a historical day for Yukon First Nations,” said Vallevand. “For an Indigenous hockey player from the Yukon to make it to the show.”

Michael Tuton knew McKenna was destined for big things from a young age. Tuton coached the Yukon hockey star