What makes Gavin McKenna the expected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft

Gavin McKenna heard it from the opposing followers at Mullett Arena throughout his first school hockey shift — and it by no means let up.

In October, Penn State traveled to Arizona State, the extremely anticipated first sport for the then-17-year-old. The response from Sun Devils followers was neither scattered nor delicate.

“They were giving it to me,” McKenna says. “Anytime I touched the puck I’d hear the boos and hear the ‘overrated’ chants.”

McKenna’s dad and mom and grandparents had flown in and braved the crowd. His teammates and coaches have been already discussing find out how to deal with a season of weighted expectations.

None of it fazed McKenna, the 6-foot, 170-pound winger. “I usually have a good chuckle,” he mentioned. “Obviously sometimes it’s tough to deal with. But when I hear all that stuff, I get pretty motivated.”

Tied 2-2 with lower than two minutes remaining, the Nittany Lions have been on an influence play. McKenna collected a cross-ice move in the proper faceoff circle and ripped a one-timer by site visitors. The sport winner was adopted by a now iconic celebration. “I hit the ‘forks down’ celly,” McKenna says. “That was pretty fun.”

That sequence — the noise, the response — outlined McKenna’s NHL draft yr. It additionally formed the opinions of groups competing for the prime spot in the 2026 NHL draft lottery, which can be decided tonight (7 pm ET, ESPN).

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Gavin McKenna’s first purpose is a sport winner for Penn State

Gavin McKenna nets a game-winning purpose for Penn State and trolls the Arizona State followers with a “forks down.”

By the time he arrived at Penn State, McKenna was already being in comparison with current No. 1 picks equivalent to Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini. His decision to come to Penn State solely raised the stakes.

“When you get a player like that, it’s kind of like, ‘holy cow,'” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky mentioned. “You don’t expect that to happen here — and then it does.”

In an NIL-driven panorama, McKenna’s dedication was seen as one of the most significant in college hockey history — a transfer that introduced consideration not simply to him, however to the program. Speculation ran rampant about his record-breaking NIL deal; no person will disclose the precise determine, although $700,000 was the quantity broadly circulated in opponents’ judges (whether or not correct or not).

“It’s not really in this program’s culture before to have those types of blue-chip prospects,” teammate Matt DiMarsico mentioned.

With that got here unprecedented scrutiny.

“I can’t even put into words the amount of pressure that was on him this year,” his mother, Krystal McKenna, mentioned. “Social media is such a double-edged sword.”

For McKenna, the highlight strengthened one thing unnatural for a teen nonetheless discovering his method.

“I’ve almost got to be perfect at all times,” he mentioned.

THE PATH TO STARDOM did not look something like that. McKenna grew up in the metropolis of Whitehorse in Yukon, the far northwest territory of Canada outlined by dramatic wilderness.

“Pretty remote,” he mentioned. “Long days of summer and long nights of winter. Pretty much just a hockey city, though. Everywhere you look, there’s an outdoor rink. I’m very grateful to grow up there.”

It’s additionally close-knit.

“Whitehorse is a small community where everybody kind of knows everybody,” Krystal mentioned. “Everyone’s quite supportive and really kind and very welcoming.”

McKenna spent most of his childhood exterior: tenting, grime biking, snowmobiling, fishing. He began skating at age 2, with a rink in his yard. His greatest mentor was his grandfather Joe who instilled a aggressive hearth in him. When McKenna used a steel assist body to study to skate, Joe would say: “Real hockey players don’t use those.” Not lengthy after, Joe and his grandson have been racing on the ice.

McKenna grew up watching the Chicago Blackhawksmodeling his sport after Patrick Kane — proper all the way down to carrying No. 88 every time he might. He would watch Kane highlights on YouTube then instantly get exterior and check out the strikes himself.

McKenna dressed his youthful sister Kasey in goalie gear for observe in the driveway. Kasey is now constructing her personal taking part in profession. Their oldest sister, Madison, organizes hockey camps for First Nations youth — the similar neighborhood that formed them.

Joe is a member of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation who survived Canada’s residential college system, which separated indigenous kids from their households for greater than 100 years. McKenna, now 18, usually talks about being proud to be from Whitehorse, and he loves honoring his household’s roots. For his mom, meaning every thing.

“When I grew up, being Indigenous meant you were ashamed of your culture,” Krystal mentioned. “So now we’re trying to ingrain in our kids — no, be proud of who you are and where you come from. Hockey is super cool and it’s fun and all of those great things. But for us to hear people tell us that he’s a good human being, that is what’s most important.”

McKENNA’S SPECIAL SKILL SET It was obvious by the time he went to the well-known U-10 Brick Invitational Tournament. However, there wasn’t sufficient alternative for ice time or to get observed in Whitehorse. McKenna moved away from his household to British Columbia at age 12, dwelling with one other household they trusted. That was adopted by a stint with the Medicine Hat Tigers (Alberta) in the Western Hockey League of Canadian juniors. McKenna set a franchise report for factors by a 16-year-old (97 in 67 video games), then adopted it with video-game manufacturing the subsequent season (173 factors in 76 video games throughout the common season, playoffs and Memorial Cup).

He might have stayed in juniors, dominated and managed the surroundings. Instead, he wished to problem himself in the more and more aggressive Big Ten. College hockey has turn into much less of a showcase and extra of a check, with older gamers staying longer, NHL draft picks unfold throughout rosters and NIL accelerating the expertise pool.

“Playing against 24-year-olds, there’s no time and space,” McKenna mentioned. “I thought it would make that jump to the next level a little bit easier.”

The Penn State employees was blown away the second McKenna arrived.

“His IQ, his brain, he sees plays in real time that other players can’t,” assistant coach Andrew Sturtz mentioned. “Sometimes you’re just like, how did he do that?”

McKenna’s finest attribute could also be his imaginative and prescient.

“He’s a player that knows where you are on the ice at all times,” mentioned former teammate Aiden Finkwho’s now signed with the Nashville Predators. “No matter where you are, he knows where you’re on the ice. He puts you in the right position. He’ll always make you succeed.”

While McKenna discovered some early success, NHL evaluators started nit-picking his sport. In the first half of the season, some scouts questioned if McKenna performed an excessive amount of of a fringe sport, or did not have sufficient tempo. They questioned whether or not he was a risk solely on the energy play, and was too lazy defensively.

Lost in that narrative was McKenna’s rotating forged of linemates (largely attributable to accidents, together with Fink who missed over two months) or the undeniable fact that it is a robust, heavy league for a teen. Many high-end gamers do not wish to be advised what they’re doing flawed. McKenna heard the suggestions, and he requested his coaches and internal circle: What can I do to enhance?