What Gavin McKenna's Commitment Means for Penn State Hockey

The Nittany Lions reportedly have received a commitment from McKenna, a 17-year-old forward who is the consensus No. 1 prospect of the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Penn State Nittany Lions hockey team huddles prior to a Big Ten game against the Michigan Wolverines at Yost Ice Arena. | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Penn State reportedly has won the sweepstakes for the biggest prize of college hockey’s recruiting cycle. Multiple sites are reporting that Gavin McKenna, the consensus No. 1 overall prospect of the 2026 NHL Draft, will commit to Penn State. Cam Robinson of Eliteprospects was the first to report the news Monday after months of speculation on the high-stakes recruiting process.

The 17-year-old Canadian is regarded as most sought-after recruit in college hockey history. In his 2024-25 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL, McKenna posted 129 points, 41 goals and 88 assists in leading the team to the WHL championship. 

McKenna reportedly made recent visits to Penn State and Michigan State after cutting his final list to the two Big Ten schools. Neither the player nor his representatives have made an official announcement.

However, news of the commitment rippled through college hockey, as Penn State is poised to bring in potentially the most talented player ever to play at Pegula Ice Arena. DraftKings ranks Penn State as the favorite to win the 2025-26 NCAA championship. The Nittany Lions’ odds are +500, according to DraftKings, followed by Michigan State and Boston University (both +800).  

RELATED: Penn State goes on a post-Frozen Four talent acquisition run

Who Penn State is getting in McKenna

Often labeled as the best NHL prospect in the 2026 draft, McKenna could be a generational hockey talent for the Nittany Lions and beyond. The Whitehorse, Yukon, native challenges opponents with his effortless scoring ability. McKenna generates offense at will, as evidenced by his 48-game points streak last season. McKenna was named the 2024-25 CHL David Branch Player of the Year, an award previously won by NHL superstars Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby (twice) and Mario Lemieux. He became the third-youngest player to win the award.

What contributes to McKenna’s offensive prowess is his elusiveness. The forward evades defenders with ease, often finding an open teammate cross-ice. McKenna also is about as creative as it gets. The Canadian dekes defenders, scores goals from tough angles and uniquely finds ways to get to open ice, as seen in his behind-the-back 360-goal against the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2025 WHL playoffs.   

What’s certain is that McKenna has it all: stick-handling, precision passing and elite goalscoring. Penn State truly is getting a five-tool skater who will make every player around him better. 

GAVIN MCKENNA GOAL OF THE YEAR?! 🤯

The top 2026 #NHLDraft prospect is a human highlight reel!

(🎥: @TheWHL) pic.twitter.com/5yiXXewL0s

— NHL (@NHL) April 14, 2025

Penn State becomes a college hockey powerhouse 

Fourteen years ago, Penn State fielded a club hockey team. Now it has a Division I program with the eyes of the nation on it. McKenna’s commitment will bring professional scouts, team management and a new group of fans to Pegula Ice Arena. After making its first Frozen Four last season, Penn State could become the center of the college hockey world.

McKenna’s pledge followed months of intense speculation regarding Penn State’s position. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported recently on the 32 Thoughts hockey podcast that the Nittany Lions were favored to land the superstar forward. McKenna joins a team that has been building momentum since its Frozen Four appearance. McKenna is the third 5-star commit (with defenseman Jackson Smith and forward Pierce Mbuyi) to commit to Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky this offseason. 

The commitments from Smith and Mbuyi were pivotal for Penn State, but McKenna’s pledge opens the gates for more elite recruits to consider the Nittany Lions. It also underscored Athletic Director Pat Kraft’s statement that Penn State is well-positioned to take advantage of revenue sharing beyond football. 

"We're trying to be able to manage the money so that if we need to move on someone, no matter what the sport is, we have the ability to say, 'Hey, there's the No. 1 fencer in the world, and we need to go use rev share to maybe tilt it our way,'" Kraft said recently. "We're going to be able to do that."

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