Gavin McKenna made an unprecedented decision.
The presumed No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft didn’t stay in the junior hockey world for his final pre-professional season.
Instead, he enrolled at Penn State University to play for the Nittany Lions.
The allure of college hockey drew McKenna in, and it could be a game changer if other top prospects follow suit in years to come.
There’ll also be plenty of eyes seeing how McKenna performs, because that could have a big impact on whether this is viewed as a viable path in the future.
So far, so good.
McKenna and the Nittany Lions went 2-0 on their opening weekend. The Canadian phenom scored a goal and notched two assists in a pair of wins over Arizona State.
It’s the goal that should get the most attention.
Penn State was tied 2-2 late in the second game of the series, with the clock ticking inside of two minutes remaining in the third period.
McKenna aligned on the right side of the ice on the power play, setting up his powerful left-handed shot.
And when the puck arrived, McKenna didn’t miss.
Goal, a lead, a win, and what Penn State hopes is the first of many in what should be a special season for McKenna in Happy Valley.
THERE IT IS 🚨
GAVIN MCKENNA HAS HIS FIRST COLLEGE GOAL!
🇺🇸: NHL Network
🌎: NHL YouTube ➡️ https://t.co/bVKUopZKup pic.twitter.com/2ycuLyOWIl— NHL (@NHL) October 5, 2025
McKenna is still just 17 (he turns 18 on Dec. 20). There’ll be a bit of an adjustment even to the NCAA level for him.
But he’s the top prospect in the world, and that’ll be true until proven otherwise.
Right now, McKenna has begun making the case that atop draft boards is indeed exactly where he belongs.
MORE:Â Penguins trio making history never done in NHL, NBA, NFL or MLB
