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ALBANY, NEW YORK - MARCH 27: Gavin McKenna #72 of the Penn State Nittany Lions skates against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs during the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Regional Championship Semifinal at the MVP Arena on March 27, 2026 in Albany, New York. The Bulldogs won 3-1. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After an outstanding 2025-26 season, Penn State hockey winger Gavin McKenna was drafted first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night to kick off the 2026 NHL Entry Draft:
Before his time in Hockey Valley, McKenna rolled up 244 points (79 goals, 165 assists) in 133 career games with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL from 2022 to 2025. He was named CHL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and made the CHL First All-Star Team in 2025.
McKenna committed to Penn State last July, ushering in a new era of college hockey recruiting with a rule change allowing CHL players to play NCAA hockey. He led the Big Ten with 51 points in 35 games and was named the Big Ten Rookie of the Year. His 8-point game against Ohio State in February set a single-game program record and was the highest single-game output in the NCAA in 47 years. During Penn State’s winter break, he competed at the 2026 World Junior Championships, where he scored 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in seven games for Canada.
The Leafs missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade last season, resulting in a coaching change and the firing of general manager Brad Treliving. While the franchise still appears to be committed to its forward core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies, there is uncertainty around Toronto’s status as a playoff contender moving forward. McKenna will add another scoring and playmaking option to an already deep forward group.
Congratulations Gavin and good luck!
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