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Penn State Hockey Draws Spotlight With New Gavin McKenna Documentary

How to watch "The McKenna Project," which documents the hockey star's season with the Nittany Lions.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna skates against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mullett Arena.
Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna skates against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mullett Arena. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Gavin McKenna's season with Penn State men's hockey continues to pay marketing dividends for the Nittany Lions. Up next: a full-length documentary tracing McKenna's arc from Yukon, Whitehorse, Canada to the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, with his season at Penn State centering that lens.

TNT will premiere "The McKenna Project" on May 21 after Game 1 of the NHL's Eastern Conference Finals. According to the documentary's producers, "The McKenna Project" "connects the the intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the emergence of the sport's next potential superstar." The documentary is scheduled for broadcast at 11:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Game 1 between Carolina and Montreal begins at 8 p.m.

"The McKenna Project is a rare, unfiltered look at the human story behind the hype, capturing a young man navigating stardom, sacrifice, and the pressure of living up to a legacy that hasn’t yet
been written," according to a release from Words + Pictures Studios, which produced the documentary. Shaquille O'Neal is listed as the film's executive producer.

McKenna, the projected No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, signed with Penn State in 2025, marking a cultural shift in college hockey and a new platform for the Nittany Lions. He announced his decision on ESPN, moving Penn State hockey atop the conversation in college hockey.

The film crew spent the season with McKenna at Penn State, documenting the public highs and quiet lows of a season with outsized expectations. After signing McKenna following its first Frozen Four appearance, Penn State was the betting favorite to win the NCAA men's hockey title.

McKenna had a memorable season, setting nine Penn State scoring records to earn team MVP and Big Ten Freshman of the Year awards. McKenna set the Penn State freshman scoring record with 51 points, becoming the third player in program history to compile a 50-point season. He also set the freshman record with 36 assists.

McKenna led the Big Ten in in points per game (1.46) and was named second-team all-conference. He recently became the first Penn State player to make a World Championship roster, joining Team Canada for the 2026 IHHF World Championship.

"Throughout the year, I guess what impressed me most is just his ability to handle an unbelievable amount of pressure, and sometimes unrealistic expectations," director Matthew Chase told NHL.com. "The goalposts are always moving on him, and they don't move like that for other prospects.

McKenna has said that Penn State shaped his career in ways that he didn't expect. After Penn State's season-ending loss to Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA Tournament, McKenna sat in the team locker room trying to freeze the close to his college career.

“[I’m] just super grateful,” McKenna said. “Like I said, Penn State has done a lot for me. These guys in this locker room, they've taught me a lot. I've gone through a lot this year. And honestly, this whole year, I think it's been fun, and there have been a lot of ups and downs, but I'm forever grateful.”

McKenna still leads mock drafts as the projected No. 1 overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 2026 NHL Entry Draft begins June 26.

“Obviously, my goal is to play in the NHL, and whether that happens next year or not, what Penn State has done for me, I can't thank this team enough," McKenna said after the NCAA Tournament. "I can't thank the whole community of Penn State enough for what they've done for me. I’m a Penn Stater for life.”

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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