The winners of the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes are the betting favorites to win next year’s college hockey national championship. But Michigan State is right behind the Nittany Lions.
With the news that Penn State is expected to land the commitment from superstar prospect McKenna, the Nittany Lions have become the favorites at Draft Kings to win the 2026 national championship. But Michigan State is right behind with Boston University as the next best odds.
Penn State is posted at +500, Michigan State and Boston University are posted at +800, Michigan is next at +900, and then Minnesota, Denver and Boston College follow that at +1200.
Per College Puck NXT, these are the first odds posted for the 2026 college hockey national championship. So it’s clear that the McKenna news has pushed the Nittany Lions to the top of the betting board. This time last week, Michigan State would have probably been the listed favorite and had they landed McKenna, they would have been the odds on favorites by a lot. Still, it’s clear the betting professionals expect a lot out of the Spartans next year and it should be another strong season on the ice for the Spartans if they live up to their potential.
Check out the complete top odds for the national title posted on Draft Kings below:
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