McKenna OK with pressure ahead of being potential No. 1 pick at 2026 NHL Draft

MINNEAPOLIS -- Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, doesn't mind being the center of attention these days.

In addition to being looked upon as the player to help Canada end its two-year slump at the IIHF World Junior Championship, there's also the groundbreaking announcement he made to play at Penn State University during ESPN's "SportsCenter" on July 8.

"I don't mind (the attention)," the 17-year-old left wing said. "Honestly, I don't really think a whole lot of it. You get used to it. You think there's a lot of pressure, but I don't mind it.

"Obviously it's a different year for me. I'm looking forward to just the whole draft year itself, talking to NHL teams and just working towards the goal of getting drafted as high as possible. On top of that, I'm looking forward to being at Penn State. I think we have a great team there."

McKenna is the youngest of 36 Canada-born players participating in the World Junior Summer Showcase this week to help determine the country's 25-man roster for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, set to take place in St. Paul and Minneapolis from Dec. 26-Jan 5, 2026.

He understands that Canada has lost in the quarterfinal round in back-to-back years for the first time. It doesn't sit well with him.

"We know that it's not normal for Canada to finish that bad two years in a row, so especially for us returning guys, there's a lot of fire in our hearts to kind of prove ourselves this year," McKenna said. "I think we have the team to do it, so we've just got to make sure we're working and not taking anything for granted."

McKenna was the youngest player on Canada's roster at the 2025 WJC when he scored one goal, had 20 shots on goal, and averaged 15:23 of ice time in five games. The image of him becoming emotional during a postgame interview after Canada lost 4-3 to Czechia in the quarterfinals last year remains fresh.

"It was tough to have that happen," he said. "Obviously it's your dream to play for Canada and it's not the way you wanted it to end, so for sure there's a lot of fuel built up."

He likes that the tournament will be held in hostile territory this year.

"I think it's kind of fun being the villain," he said. "I think it'll be a fun time playing in the U.S. I think we're going to have a lot of Canada fans there as well and it should be good."

McKenna dominated junior hockey last season. He finished second in the Western Hockey League with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games for Medicine Hat, and he was third in the WHL playoffs with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 16 games to help it reach the Memorial Cup, the four-team Canadian Hockey League championship tournament.

He likens his style to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.

"Kucherov, because he can slow down the game, is a really smart player, can make plays," McKenna said. "He thinks the game really well and can speed it up when he wants. He kind of controls the game."

McKenna is the most prominent player to take advantage of the rule change in effect this season that gives Canadian Hockey League players NCAA eligibility. Previously, they had been considered professionals because some CHL players had signed NHL entry-level contracts.

"McKenna’s election to play at Penn State this season was an informed decision that he, his family and advisors felt best suited his personal development needs," NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. "Going into his NHL draft year as the top-rated prospect after two-plus years impacting in the WHL, Gavin will be able to continue to develop and elevate his game while playing in a more mature NCAA environment, which also exposes him to a unique college environment and living in the United States."

Adjustments might be needed, but the payoff should be tremendous for the Nittany Lions.

McKenna won the Four Broncos Trophy as WHL Player of the Year and he became the third-youngest winner of the CHL David Branch Player of the Year Award behind John Tavares (2006-07) and Sidney Crosby (2003-04).

"Last season, Medicine Hat's average age was slightly over 19 years and Penn State's average age was slightly over 22 ... playing against more physically developed players to prepare him for an NHL opportunity was one of his stated goals," Marr said. "Gavin has always been one of the youngest players on his teams, who often built their rosters around him, and he knows how to handle those pressures. This season he joins a contending Penn State team which already has a strong roster, and Gavin gets the opportunity to enhance his game and life skills while pursuing a national championship."

John Williams, NHL Central Scouting's senior western scout, doesn't have any concerns about McKenna adapting to college hockey.

"He's been able to step into each level along the way and quickly adjust," Williams said. "What makes him such a special player is his ability to see things that others can’t and to anticipate what is going to happen before anyone else, so that will help him manage any size and strength concerns.

"He'll need to adjust to the higher pace and playing against older and stronger players, but he’s shown at the World Juniors (in 2025) that he can handle that. The other important part for him is that there are some other skilled players at Penn State that he can play with, and I’m sure that factored into his decision."

McKenna looks forward to settling in on campus in mid-August.

"I think less games will be a big adjustment, living on your own, kind of getting ready for life," he said. "I think just being with a new team is always different. It's going to be a big adjustment but I think it'll get me ready for my rookie year (in the NHL).

"I want to win a national championship for sure. I think my goals are high for myself and I know it's going to be an important year, so I want to hopefully reach those goals."

McKenna 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 (since 2000) for points in consecutive games (regular season, playoffs, Memorial Cup).

"There will be an adjustment phase for Gavin while transitioning to NCAA hockey and he is such an elite hockey talent that you can project a rather seamless transition to him contributing and impacting as one of the youngest NCAA freshmen," Marr said. "NHL clubs and scouts will do their due diligence in scouting Gavin at Penn State, and it won’t require a lot of views for scouts to establish his draft status.

"It's safe to assume that getting a ticket to a Big Ten game with Penn State could be a scouts' most difficult challenge."