McKenna will be 'really fun to watch,' Penn State coach says

Gavin McKenna won't physically arrive on campus at Penn State University for another month, but the excitement level he's bringing already has taken hold.

McKenna, the 17-year-old forward expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, announced his game-changing commitment to play at Penn State during ESPN's "SportsCenter" on July 8.

"Obviously, this is a huge thing for Penn State and Penn State hockey, and a huge thing for college hockey as well," coach Guy Gadowsky said Tuesday. "You're nervous until it's done, but once it was on 'SportsCenter' and done, it felt very, very good, and I'm pumped for the Penn Staters that get to watch this guy."

Gadowsky, 57, grew up a fan of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers. He said his approach to coaching McKenna would be similar to how he perceived Oilers coach Glen Sather handled one of his star players.

"I was fortunate enough to grow up to watch Wayne Gretzky play from Edmonton," Gadowsky said. "I think one of the things that makes [McKenna] so special is that he is so creative. His mind is just very different. And there's no way that I or anybody else on our staff thinks like Gavin does. He is a very, very special athlete who thinks very differently, and I'm going to enjoy watching him.

"By no means am I ever going to talk to him about how his mind creates. That's him, and it's going to be really fun to watch. ... That's partly what I think makes Penn State hockey fun, is we certainly encourage creativity. And with him, I can tell you, just watching his game, he's so fun to watch because of his physical skill level, but also how his mind is able to slow things down and create. It's just really fun to watch."

McKenna is the most prominent player to take advantage of the rule change that takes 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.

He dominated junior hockey last season, finishing second in the Western Hockey League with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games with Medicine Hat, and was third in the WHL playoffs with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 16 games to help the Tigers win the league championship.

McKenna won the Four Broncos Trophy as WHL Player of the Year and the CHL David Branch Player of the Year Award, and helped Medicine Hat reach the championship game at the Memorial Cup, a 4-1 loss to London where McKenna scored the Tigers' only goal.

"He's done very, very well in the CHL," Gadowsky said. "I think he's looking for a new challenge. I think he loves the fact that he would be the very first. And I think he's seen the support that Penn State hockey gets and Penn State University gets, and I think that fits him very well."

Gadowsky is preaching patience for McKenna, who won't turn 18 until Dec. 20.

"College is different, so there's a transition," Gadowsky said. "And there's not only a transition to college hockey, there's a transition to college, there's a transition, albeit a very exciting, fun one, to State College. ... I think that we have really good players on this team, really good people, and I think they're looking forward to helping him navigate and enjoy all of those things.

"So what can we do? I think we can be a little patient. You can't just expect anybody to come in and just pick things up from a college hockey perspective, a college perspective, or a State College/Penn State perspective. It takes some time. I think it's something he's very much looking forward to, and it's going to be fun. But I think what we can do is to remember that no one gets it all right away and take some time."

McKenna won't be alone in making the adjustment. Joining him in the incoming freshman class is defenseman Jackson Smith, selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the No. 14 pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, and Calgary Flames forward prospect Luke Misa; each of them starred in the CHL last season, Smith with Tri-City in the WHL and Misa with Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League.

Penn State also is coming off the first Frozen Four appearance in the history of the program, which moved to the NCAA Division I level in 2012.

However, only McKenna had his college decision shown on national television.

"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," NHL 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."