Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft, will be next due in court on March 11, according to Centre County Courthouse documents.

McKenna, who is facing three charges relating to an alleged assault in State College on Jan. 31, was initially set to have his preliminary hearing on Wednesday. He is alleged to have punched a 21-year-old male twice in the face, resulting in a fractured jaw for the victim that required corrective surgery. The incident came after a verbal exchange between the two on the 100 block of South Pugh Street in the hours after Penn State’s outdoor hockey game against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.

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The preliminary hearing postponement comes less than a week after prosecutors dropped an initial felony charge of aggravated assault. The Centre County District Attorney’s office and State College Police said via a statement that “A review of the video does not support a conclusion that Gavin McKenna acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or with reckless indifference to the value of human life,“ which is the standard for probable cause for aggravated assault in Pennsylvania.

McKenna, 18, now faces a misdemeanor charge of simple assault, as well as charges of harassment and disorderly conduct for engaging in fighting. The simple assault charge carries a maximum of two years in prison, while fines are attached to the three charges. He remains released on $20,000 unsecured bail.

With the temporary hearing postponed, McKenna is expected to play for the No. 6 Nittany Lions on Friday at No. 2 Michigan, according to multiple reports. That game will mark Penn State’s first game since the alleged assault. The Inquirer reached out to the university’s athletic department on Wednesday to try to confirm McKenna’s availability for Friday’s game. Penn State’s regular season ends on March 6, with the Big Ten tournament set to commence on March 11, the same day as McKenna’s preliminary hearing.

Penn State previously provided the following statement on Feb. 4: “We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment.”

McKenna’s adviser Pat Brisson has not commented publicly on the matter.

A native of Whitehorse, Yukon, the Canadian winger is ranked No. 1 on the NHL’s 2026 Central Scouting list among North American skaters. After a new rule was passed granting Canadian Hockey League players NCAA eligibility this season, McKenna left the CHL this summer to play college hockey.

McKenna, a freshman, is one of the biggest recruits to ever play college hockey and one of the faces of the changing landscape of the sport. He has 11 goals and 32 points in 24 games this season for Penn State, which reached its first Frozen Four in school history last season, and entered the season as one of the favorites to win the national championship.

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