Sergei Bobrovsky says he didn’t mean to crash Gavin McKenna’s solo lap

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stated he did not intentionally disrupt rookie Gavin McKenna's traditional solo lap before Tuesday's season opener against Montreal. The 38-year-old veteran mistakenly led the team out onto the ice ahead of the 2026 No. 1 overall pick, only realizing the mistake when no other teammates followed. Bobrovsky apologized directly to McKenna afterward, explaining that he completely forgot about the rookie tradition.

McKenna had family members from Whitehorse in attendance at Scotiabank Arena for his debut. Despite facing social media criticism for the incident, Bobrovsky continues to prepare for his next start against Ottawa, while McKenna seeks his first NHL point after featuring on a line alongside John Tavares and William Nylander.