Gavin McKenna was spotted training with some unexpected company

The NHL offseason is when young stars quietly sharpen their games away from the spotlight, grinding through informal skates and pickup scrimmages across the country. But sometimes those sessions draw attention anyway, especially when the players involved represent the future of the league.

Gavin McKenna, the prized Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick and prospect, was spotted participating in a scrimmage in Vancouver this week. What made the session particularly noteworthy was the company he was keeping on the ice.

Video and images shared on social media by users lenahockey17 and daniel.hockey8 on Instagram show McKenna training alongside several of the NHL's most exciting young talents. Among those skating with him were San Jose Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Michael Misa, and San Jose's Sam Dickinson.

The footage quickly gained traction online, racking up a lot of views after being shared by the Leafs Latest account on X.

It is not uncommon for top prospects and young NHLers to organize informal summer training sessions together, regardless of team affiliation. These scrimmages give players a chance to compete against elite peers while staying sharp during the months between seasons.

Still, seeing McKenna lining up against and alongside players like Celebrini and Misa carries a certain buzz. All of them are widely considered cornerstone pieces for their respective franchises moving forward, and any glimpse of them competing together fuels excitement about the next generation of NHL talent.

For Leafs fans in particular, the sight of McKenna holding his own among that caliber of player should be encouraging. Toronto's faithful have been eager to see how the young forward develops, and his willingness to seek out high-level competition during the summer suggests a serious approach to his preparation.

No details have emerged about how long the group was training together in Vancouver or whether additional sessions are planned.

But the brief footage offers a tantalizing preview of what could become some of the league's most compelling rivalries for years to come.