Gavin McKenna committed to Penn State men's hockey on July 8. The future No. 1 overall selection of the 2026 NHL Draft is a huge deal for the Nittany Lions as McKenna is potentially the best player Penn State Athletics will ever have.
Athletic Director Pat Kraft even knows it and weighed in his thoughts and excitement for the latest Nittany Lion commit. His statement read:
"We are so thrilled to have [McKenna] join our Hockey Valley family and become part of a special group of young men who represent everything great about Penn State. This team is built on character, work ethic and pride wearing the Blue & White, and Gavin is a perfect fit.
"He's one of the most exciting young talents in the game and reflects the level of student-athlete we're bringing to Penn State across all sports. His commitment is a testament to the national reputation [head coach] Guy Gadowsky and his staff have built, and we know he'll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program. We can't wait to see him compete alongside this incredible group and help push our program to even greater heights."
McKenna's commitment, as mentioned by both Kraft and Gadowsky in their statements, is a boost to Penn State Athletics as a whole.
His elite talent surpasses the NCAA before he's even been drafted and only advances the Nittany Lion standard for years to come. Especially for a hockey program that is just getting started as a serious Division I team, McKenna opens doors for Penn State to build a more-than-respectable and extremely competitive program long-term.
"[McKenna] is a special player and terrific young man," Gadowsky wrote in his statement. ". . . His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State [A]thletics and to college hockey as a whole. We are absolutely thrilled and excited to witness his contributions on the ice, to our locker room, and to the Penn State community. This is a great day to be a Nittany Lion!"
On July 10, McKenna gave his goodbye and expressed his gratitude to the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League on Instagram.
The incoming freshman will join No. 14 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft and defenseman Jackson Smith for the coming season. Penn State is also looking at more Canadian Hockey League prospects in hopes of strengthening the roster even further to follow up the 2024-25 season with an even better performance and outcome.