McKenna ‘generational,’ likely to be No. 1 pick at 2026 NHL Draft

LOS ANGELES -- Gavin McKenna with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League is projected to be the next great generational talent for the team that selects No. 1 at the 2026 NHL Draft.

"What he's done ... he's so much fun to watch," Central Scouting's senior western scout John Williams told NHL.com. "He does it every single night too."

The 17-year-old forward played a big part for Medicine Hat winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the championship of the WHL. He had 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 16 games and led all Canadian Hockey League players by averaging 2.38 points per game.

An alternate captain for Medicine Hat, McKenna won the David Branch Award as CHL player of the year and the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL player of the year after he had 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games. He led the league in plus/minus (plus-60), tied for fifth in goals and was third in short-handed goals (four).

McKenna is the third-youngest player to win CHL player of the year, after John Tavares (2006-07) and Sidney Crosby (2003-04), each of whom was 16 at the time.

He had a modern WHL-record 40-game regular-season point streak (100 points; 32 goals, 68 assists) that extended to 54 games (137 points; 40 goals; 97 assists) in the playoffs to set a modern CHL record (2000-present) for points in consecutive games (regular season, playoffs, Memorial Cup).

"His trajectory is generational because when you compare where he is at the same age to some of these other players to get to the NHL as 18-year-olds and have an impact, he's on that same path," Central Scouting associate director David Gregory said. "When you think of the key skills you have to have in the NHL ... you have to be smart, you have to be able to skate and you have to be able to compete. Those three important skills are maybe his three best skills, so we're not even talking about how great his hands are.

"We don't use the term ‘five-tool player’ in hockey as much as you hear it used in other sports, but McKenna's one of those guys. He's got it."

The level of production is nothing new for McKenna (5-foot-11, 162 pounds). After being selected by Medicine Hat with the No. 1 pick of the 2022 WHL Draft, he had 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 16 games in 2022-23 as a 15-year-old. Last season, he was second among WHL rookies with 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 61 games and was named that league’s rookie of the year and the Canadian Hockey League.

This season, on top of his success with Medicine Hat, he scored one goal in five games at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship as Canada's youngest player, and eighth-youngest to represent his country at the event.

"McKenna is in a special category that you only come across every few years," Central Scouting vice president and director Dan Marr said. "His offensive instincts and playmaking game are truly exceptional and it's his composure, compete and maturity that really sell you on his talent. His game resembles the likes of Patrick Kane and Doug Gilmour, who both had slight builds and were able utilize their talents to produce and use those same smarts and wits to protect themselves from hockey's physical elements."

In addition to McKenna, there are other players in line to be chosen near the top of the 2026 draft.

Ryan Roobroeck (6-2, 210), a left wing with Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League, led his team with 87 points (41 goals, 46 assists) and had 12 power-play goals in 64 regular-season games.

Keaton Verhoeff (6-3, 207), a right-shot defenseman with Victoria (WHL), ranked third among WHL rookie defensemen with 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) and had eight power-play goals in 63 regular-season games.

"He has the size and range to be a very good defender and also has very good offensive instincts," Williams said of Verhoeff, who will attend the University of North Dakota in 2025-26. "He can run a power play and is very good at recognizing opportunities. He jumps up on the rush and crashes the net very well. He needs to grow into his body still but should be a very good skater in time.

"He's the type of defenseman that can play big minutes in all situations and is a potential No. 1 defenseman; I would use (Washington Capitals defenseman) John Carlson as a comparison."

Other top prospects in high demand could be left wing Ethan Belchetz (6-5, 227) of Windsor (OHL) and center Colin Fitzgerald (6-2, 195) of Peterborough (OHL). Belchetz had 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists) in 56 games and Fitzgerald 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 48 games.

Left wing Ivar Stenberg of Frolunda (Sweden) and right wing Viggo Bjorck of Djurgarden Jr. (Sweden) are two top prospects among the international contingent of players.

Stenberg (5-10, 179) had 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 27 regular-season games with Frolunda's junior-20 club team. He will play for Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League in 2025-26.

"Stenberg has elite skating, puck control, and creativity, making him a constant threat," NHL Director of European Scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen said. "His ability to shift tempo and direction while maintaining possession stands out, and he's shown strong playmaking. A definite first-rounder if all goes as planned."

Bjorck (5-9, 171) had 74 points (27 goals, 47 assists) in 42 regular-season games with Djurgardens junior-20 team.

"I think he's a right-handed Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks)," said Djurgarden teammate Victor Eklund, chosen by the New York Islanders in the first round (No. 16) of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday. "He just can see the game better than everyone. Just crazy. He came up to practice with us, and all the guys were like, 'Jesus, this guy can play.'

"He's really down to earth as well ... he's going to be a great NHL player."

Left wing Adam Novotny (6-1, 204) is another international skater to watch, per Vuorinen. The 17-year-old, born in Hradec Kralove, Czechia, had three points (one goal, two assists) in 41 games with Mountfield HK in Czechia's top division this season.