Scored 167 Points For Medicine Hat In Regular Season and Playoffs
CHN Staff Report
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The CHL to NCAA frenzy is set to reach its pinnacle Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, after weeks of speculation, Gavin McKenna, the current favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection in next year’s NHL Draft, will announce his commitment to play at Penn State for the upcoming season.
McKenna scored 41 goals and 129 points in 56 regular-season games for Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League this past season, and added 9-29—38 in 16 playoff games as Medicine Hat won the WHL championship. He had 10-10—20 in seven games at last year’s Under-18 world championship, and 1 goal in five games at the World Juniors.
McKenna is among a bevy of Canadian Major Junior players who are making the jump to the NCAA next season, after the doors were opened by a rule change earlier this year. That group includes Penn State teammate-to-be Jackson Smith, with others scattered among college hockey’s heavy hitters. McKenna is certainly the most notable of that group.
There may be more to come as well, with several recently-drafted Major Junior players contemplating similar jumps for their post-draft year.
In addition to the desire to develop against older players before going to pro hockey, these players are now able to receive money from college teams through revenue sharing and NIL (name, image, likeness — i.e. endorsement) deals. McKenna is rumored to have been offered anywhere from $250,000 to $750,000 to play at Penn State, though the exact figure is not yet known.
McKenna recently visited Penn State and Michigan State, and had narrowed his choices between the two.
College hockey has seen two other No. 1 overall picks in the last five years, both Canadians who came the “traditional” way, through the USHL. Those were Owen Power (Michigan) in 2021 and Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) in 2025. A year ago at this time, James Hagens committed to Boston College as the frontrunner to go No. 1 in this year’s draft, but wound up slipping to 8th.
McKenna will be joining a Penn State squad that reached the Frozen Four for the first time last season.
Including Smith, Penn State currently lists seven other incoming freshmen that played Major Junior last season. One of those is Luke Misa, a 5th-round pick of Calgary last year, whose brother Michael was selected No. 2 overall in last week’s draft, by San Jose. He has not indicated any intention to play for Penn State, too, however.