Gavin McKenna Commits to Penn State Hockey, Projected No. 1 2026 NHL Draft Pick

Gavin McKenna, the projected top pick in the 2026 NHL draft, will spend the 2025-26 season playing for Penn State.

McKenna announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Tuesday on ESPN's SportsCenter. He was also considering Michigan State.

McKenna has developed into one of the CHL's best scorers in three seasons with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers.

He was named the CHL Player of the Year in June after finishing the 2024-25 season with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists in 56 games played).

That season also included a 54-game point streak, setting a CHL record dating back to at least 2000.

McKenna could further cement his projected spot on top of the 2025 draft if he is able to continue racking up points in NCAA play.

That could depend in large part on his fit opposite Nashville Predators prospect Aiden Fink, who enjoyed a breakout season on the right side of the Nittany Lions' top line in 2024-25.

Fink, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 draft, ranked third in the nation with 1.33 points per game last season. He finished as a Hobey Baker finalist after setting Penn State single-season records with 23 goals and 53 points in 40 games.

Fink and McKenna could potentially both flank San Jose Sharks prospect Reese Laubach, another rising junior who served as Penn State's top-line center last season.

McKenna's arrival in Pennsylvania will serve as a sign that updated CHL eligibility rules and increasing NIL opportunities are making the NCAA an increasingly attractive development path for top NHL prospects.

The commitment also marks a major recruiting victory for Penn State. The program made its first Frozen Four appearance in March before suffering a semifinal loss to Boston University.

Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jackson Smith, who was selected with the No. 14 pick of the 2025 draft, also committed to the Nittany Lions this summer. Adding McKenna to the top line and Smith to the blue line could help solidify Penn State as a title contender for a second straight season.