McKenna

Forward Gavin McKenna, the consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft, will reportedly commit to Penn State, according to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects.

McKenna, one of the biggest recruits to ever commit to the Penn State program, was sought after by all of the big college hockey programs, with McKenna ultimately choosing the Nittany Lions — coming off a Frozen Final Four showing — over such teams as Big Ten rival Michigan State. McKenna made visits to State College and East Lansing at the end of June.

The Whitehorse, Yukon, native is a 6-foot-0, 165-pound left-winger who is highly regarded as one of the best Canadians to come through the ranks of junior hockey in recent memory.

McKenna doesn’t turn 18 until December and spent the 2024-25 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, putting up 41 goals and 129 total points. Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall (132) is the only player to put up more.

This past season saw him named the David Branch Player of the Year as the best Canadian amateur player, an award previously won by the likes of Mario Lemieux in 1984, Sidney Crosby in 2004 and 2005, Connor McDavid in 2015, and recent No. 1 picks Alexis Lafreniere and Connor Bedard.

McKenna will most likely only play one season at Penn State, but he’ll be joining a group with recent commitments such as Jackson Smith, Pierce Mbuyi, and Luke Misa, while also landing Hobey Baker finalist Mac Gadowsky in the transfer portal.