Gavin McKenna – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Gavin McKenna

2025-26 Team: Penn State (NCAA)
Date of Birth: Dec. 20, 2007
Place of Birth: Whitehorse, YT
Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 170 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Left Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

At this point last season, Gavin McKenna was the unanimous first choice for the 2026 NHL Draft. In 2024-25, he had just two games where he didn’t register a single point with the Medicine Hat Tigers, both of which came in the first nine games of the season, and in the final five games, he put up an unbelievable nine goals and 23 points, including his first career seven-point game. Since 2000, only three 17-year-olds have scored at least 120 points in a single season: Nic Petan with 120, Connor Bedard with 149, and McKenna, who finished with 129.

However, opinions have begun to split over the past several months on whether McKenna truly is a generational superstar alongside Bedard, or if he is the next Shane Wright – a top junior talent overexposed to the relentless draft cycle. Unsurprisingly, the answer is somewhere in the middle, and his story is a good reminder that points don’t always tell the full story.

Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide

When he has the puck, McKenna is as dynamic as they come. He has the vision of this draft class; the way he can effortlessly move the puck to a teammate or find passing lanes through traffic is unparalleled. He anticipates the play, placing his passes where he knows someone will be in a moment, and can pull the puck in and redirect it so quickly that few opponents can counter him. He can read the play in front of him like a book, and knows exactly when to cycle and when to attack.

Following close behind are his puck skills. His deception, creativity, and patience are also arguably the best of his age group. While playing with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League (WHL), he was a villain, repeatedly forcing the defender to one side before whipping the puck around him, leaving him confused and helpless as McKenna either moved it to a wide-open teammate or fired the puck home himself. He also loves to bring out the no-look pass, which he used liberally when he set the Penn State record for most points in a single game with eight.

Away from the puck, McKenna had some work to do. He was quick on his feet and could zip around the ice when needed, but not the best skater on the ice, and his defensive game was lacking. That’s why he decided to leave the WHL and join the NCAA. “I think it honestly just makes the jump (to the NHL) easier, going against older, heavier, stronger guys. I think it really prepares you,” he said following the announcement. “Even in the locker room, being around older guys, being around more mature guys, I think it’ll help me a lot…it’ll really challenge me and prepare me.”

After three games in the NCAA, McKenna already had four assists and a goal, and his five-on-five production was more than Macklin Celebrini’s and Adam Fantilli’s draft-year numbers combined. Yet a few scouts were beginning to sound the alarm bells, specifically with his play away from the puck. It was well known that his defensive game was underdeveloped, but in his first several weeks with Penn State, he looked focused solely on offence. Even his forecheck – an area he thrived in with the Tigers – was lacklustre. By November, only four of his 15 points had come on 5-on-5. He was avoiding contact, coasting through the zones, and cheating for offence. For a projected first-overall pick, it was underwhelming.

The 2026 World Junior Championship further showed off the flaws in McKenna’s game. Despite finishing with the second-most points in the tournament, he was invisible at times, hanging out on the edges of the play, hesitating to engage, and, once again, most of his points came on the power-play. Add in an unfortunate abuse of official penalty in the dying moments in the semifinal against Czechia, and many came away disappointed with McKenna’s performance.

Gavin McKenna Penn State
Gavin McKenna, Penn State (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

The biggest problem is the way McKenna approaches the game. He places himself on the outside of the play like a general, watching the players move and position themselves and waiting for an opportunity to pick up the puck and create a high-danger scoring chance. It’s why he can disappear for chunks of the game; he’s waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and thanks to his vision and intelligence, when he engages, he rarely wastes a shot. It’s also why he needs capable teammates before he can start making a difference on the ice – if he can’t move the puck to someone, he loses a significant part of his toolkit.

McKenna approaches playing defence the same way, which is why he hasn’t looked as good without the puck. Backchecking and defending require a lot more engagement, but McKenna still tries to command things from the outside, watching and waiting for an opportunity. In junior, that wasn’t as much of an issue because McKenna knew he could take control of the game no matter where he was, but at the World Juniors and in the NCAA, he’s up against much better competition who are more than happy to catch him flat-footed while he analyzes his options.

Since returning from the World Juniors, McKenna has ramped up his production. He’s been held off the scoresheet just three times in 17 games while scoring 32 points. He’s scoring more at 5-on-5, with only 10 power-play points in that span, and the defensive game is improving, too, as he’s been a plus-6 in that same time frame, bringing him up to a minus-1 for the season.

While he may no longer be considered a generational talent, there’s no debating that McKenna is a special player with a highly developed offensive game who will go very early in the 2026 Draft.

Gavin McKenna – NHL Draft Projection

The difference in opinions seems to come down to two schools of thought: either you draft the player who could be the best in this draft class, or you draft the best player available right now. If you want the player with the highest potential, you can’t pass up McKenna. Few players in this draft class have McKenna’s combination of playmaking, speed, and intelligence, and he seems destined to be an all-star contributor in the NHL. But, if you want the best player available, that might mean teams will look towards a more well-rounded player like Ivar Stenberg, Chase Reid, or Keaton Verhoeff.

Then there’s the issue of McKenna’s assault charge from February. The initial felony charges were dropped, and he’s continued to participate in all Penn State hockey activities, but he still has an upcoming court hearing for harassment and disorderly conduct. While he’s far from the first player with a criminal record, the highly public nature of the incident has likely already impacted some NHL teams’ opinions. Depending on what comes from the hearing, it could impact where he goes, although seeing him go lower than fifth would be earth-shattering.

Quotables

“McKenna is a captivating and supremely gifted winger who had one of the most productive age-adjusted seasons in modern CHL history last season. The college game has been a bit of an adjustment, though, particularly at five-on-five, highlighting his lean build and some bad habits (notably, a need to be more physically engaged and show more effort off-puck). The talent and upside are undeniable, but he’s imperfect and increasingly has frustrated evaluators.” Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (from ‘2026 NHL Draft ranking: Ivar Stenberg takes top spot ahead of Gavin McKenna on Wheeler’s midseason top 64,’ The Athletic – 20/01/2026)

“Gavin McKenna is an elite talent with exceptional hockey sense, quickness and maturity, which has allowed him to dictate the play and influence games at every level he’s played. He possesses a combination of unteachable skills and attributes which have been on record-setting display the last couple seasons and place him in a category of his own as the top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.” Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting

“McKenna is excellent at settling bouncing pucks and can convert on snap-shots, curl-and-drags and one-timers all with regularity, often in motion. McKenna also projects better defensively, with strong stick habits and the ability to manipulate puck carriers. Really, though, the biggest separator is McKenna’s approach with the puck. For better or worse, McKenna has a huge risk threshold and loves to hang onto the puck. His skill and creativity are perhaps unmatched (finishing multiple plays I’ve never seen someone even attempt before), but it also leads to him getting caught, sometimes in grimace-inducing ways.” Luke Sweeney, Dobber Prospects

Strengths

  • Playmaking and puck movement
  • Deception and creativity
  • Vision and intelligence on offence
  • Quick, strong shot, varied shot selection

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

  • Defensive consistency
  • Strength and willingness to engage physically
  • 5-on-5 production

NHL Potential

McKenna has the toolkit to be an 80-plus point player in the NHL. He’s been compared to Patrick Kane, who went first overall in 2007, and Nikita Kucherov, a five-time 100-point player, for his ability to set up his teammates with highlight-reel plays. I see more of a Mitch Marner, who went fourth overall in 2015 and served as Auston Matthews’ set-up man for his nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was regularly criticized for his playoff effort. No matter where you fall, McKenna has the skill to be an incredibly impactful player in the NHL. He just needs to keep working on his play way from the puck to get there.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 1/5, Reward – 5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 10/10, Defence – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Year (Jim Piggott Trophy)
  • 2023-24 WHL Central Division All-Star Team
  • 2023-24 WHL Rookie Assist Leader
  • 2023-24 CHL Rookie of the Year
  • 2023-24 CHL All-Rookie Team
  • 2024 World Hockey Championship All-Star Team
  • 2024 U18 World Junior Gold Medal
  • 2024 U18 World Junior All-Star Team
  • 2024 U18 World Junior Goal Leader
  • 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal
  • 2024-25 WHL Eastern Conference All-Star Team
  • 2024-25 WHL Champion (Ed Chynoweth Cup)
  • 2024-25 WHL Four Broncos Award – Player of the Year
  • 2024-25 WHL Assist Leader
  • 2024-25 CHL Player of the Year
  • 2024-25 CHL First All-Star Team
  • 2026 World Junior Bronze Medal
  • Elite Prospects – Scouting Report: How Gavin McKenna dominated the WHL and what he’ll bring to Penn State
  • Flo Hockey – Gavin McKenna Is The 2026 NHL Draft Prospect You Won’t Stop Hearing About
  • NHL.com – McKenna, projected No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft, ‘pumped’ to make Penn State debut –
  • CBC – Northern trailblazer: How the Yukon shaped top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna

Gavin McKenna Stats

Videos

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