justin bieberThe “Baby” star is a bright prospect in the 2026 NHL (National Hockey League) draft. On June 26, the 32-year-old held a microphone at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, and applauded the audience. The Canadian singer stopped by the venue to express his excitement, revealing the first athlete selected to represent his favorite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.Here’s a breakdown of Justin Bieber’s appearance in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Justin Bieber announces No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft
The crowd erupted in joy and cheers as Justin Bieber stood in front of the camera wearing a red jacket and smiling broadly. “What’s going on, Buffalo?” He said, and the stadium suddenly erupted. “Oh my God, the kid in me is ecstatic right now. I grew up a Maple Leafs fan,” he continued, adding that he was extremely grateful to be there on this special night. The “Swag” singer greeted the assembled draft officials and took the stage to meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.Additionally, Bieber announced important news about Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, who was selected as the No. 1 overall pick. “Mr. McKenna, we want to draft you to the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Bieber said. The video was shared by the team on X with the caption, “Bieber makes it official.” As for the singer, he stayed on stage after the audition to take photos with Bateman and McKenna.
Who is Gavin McKenna?
Gavin McKenna, who was named Penn State’s Big 10 Freshman of the Year after completing his first season in which he ranked fifth on the NCAA scoring list, was awarded a blue jersey numbered “26” at the event. The 18-year-old man was arrested four months after he was arrested and charged with four counts of aggravated assault following an altercation with a 21-year-old man, according to reports obtained by People magazine.Although the felony charges were dropped two days later, on Feb. 6, he still faces misdemeanor, simple assault charges, as well as harassment and disorderly conduct charges. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for July 13, 2026.
About Justin Bieber
Earlier this year, Justin Bieber performed at the Coachella music festival and made headlines for his performance. The singer recently relived the weekend by uploading “Coachella SWAG Live (Weekend I)” on his YouTube channel. The nostalgic structure of his show, including on-screen YouTube views and reenacted memes, resonated with fans.
