Gavin McKenna — the projected No. 1 decide within the 2026 NHL Draft — has dedicated to Penn State for the 2025-26 season. McKenna introduced his resolution to go well with up for the Nittany Lions on “SportsCenter” on Tuesday night.
McKenna is the most important prospect to ever decide to Penn State’s hockey program. Main as much as his resolution, it was extensively identified McKenna can be taking his abilities to the collegiate stage.
“It was a brilliant robust resolution,” McKenna stated. “Clearly, there have been loads of nice choices on the market. However, I believe me, my household and everybody who’s in my circle, determined the very best spot for me subsequent yr will probably be Penn State College. I believe Penn State is a superb spot for me. I received to get a style of what it is like there and I received to deliver alongside my dad. We each thought it was an incredible spot for me.”
Starting Aug. 1, 2025, junior hockey gamers from the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League are permitted to play NCAA hockey following a landmark rule change. Previously, junior hockey gamers had been thought-about professionals and due to this fact weren’t allowed to play within the NCAA.
In response to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, McKenna had beforehand visited with Michigan, Michigan State and Denver along with Penn State. The Spartans had been a finalist in McKenna’s recruitment earlier than dropping out to the Nittany Lions.
2026 Stanley Cup odds: Panthers undertaking as favorites once more, Mitch Marner makes Golden Knights engaging
Chris Bengel
McKenna put collectively a sensational season for the Drugs Hat Tigers within the Western Hockey League in 2024-25. The 17-year-old registered 129 factors (41 targets, 88 assists) in 56 video games, whereas additionally producing 38 factors (9 targets, 29 assists) in 16 playoff video games as Drugs Hat received the WHL Championship.
The star winger tallied 2.304 points-per-game, the third-highest mark for a 17-year-old in league historical past behind solely Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard (2022-23) and Rob Brown (1985-86). McKenna finishes his WHL profession with 244 factors (79 targets, 165 assists) in 133 video games.
McKenna ranked second within the WHL in factors (129) and fifth in targets (41), whereas main the league in assists (88). The Northern Canada product additionally ranked fifth in power-play assists (28) and was tied for third in shorthanded targets (4). He additionally recorded a 54-game level streak that began within the common season and lasted by way of the playoffs.
He’s being labeled as a generational expertise who will seemingly make the leap to the NHL stage straight away. McKenna’s spectacular season outperformed Connor McDavid’s age-17 season during which the Edmonton Oilers star tallied 99 factors (28 targets, 71 assists) for the OHL’s Erie Otters.
McKenna will be a part of a Penn State hockey program that was categorised as a membership group previous to the 2012-13 season. Nevertheless, the Nittany Lions have loved fairly an increase over the past decade. Penn State gathered a 22-14-4 file in 2024-25 and reached its first Frozen 4.
The Nittany Lions proceed to construct off of that historic season by securing commitments from Columbus Blue Jackets first-round decide Jackson Smith in addition to Luke Misa, the brother of San Jose Sharks first-round decide Michael Misa. With McKenna becoming a member of the fold subsequent season, Penn State will seemingly be a power as soon as once more within the Massive Ten and will make one other run on the Frozen 4.
