Blueger watched McKenna play for Canada in the 2026 World Junior Championship, when he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in seven games, and feels the young forward will “bring a lot of skill, a lot of excitement.”
McKenna finished tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) for Penn State last season and was a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top NCAA men’s hockey player.
“Anytime you get a No. 1 overall pick, there’s a lot of hype, a lot of excitement and a lot of attention,” Blueger said. “Most of the time, those guys deliver.
“I think obviously the attention that he’s getting, just the media attention from what I’ve heard from guys in Toronto, it’ll be a little bit different. That’ll be interesting to see firsthand.”
For Blueger, it also will be interesting to see how he and the many other new faces fare with Toronto this season.
“There’s already some really, really great players that are there and that they’ve signed,” Blueger said. “Just hopefully be a part of a good team and just do my part to contribute.”
