Penn State men's hockey lost a forward before he even got to campus, and the blue and white have to go back to the drawing board to restructure their four offensive lines.
Guy Gadowsky gets to work early in the Transfer Portal filling in roster gaps
Kieren Dervin de-committed from the Nittany Lions and announced that he will take his talents to a different Big Ten program: Michigan. He was loyal to Penn State since Dec. 2023, but made a last-minute decision to flip just months away from starting his collegiate career.
Forward Kieren Dervin has decommitted from Penn State and pledged to Michigan, he announced on Instagram.
— Chase Fisher (@chase_fisher4) April 16, 2026
Dervin, a Vancouver Canucks prospect, was selected in the third round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
Tough loss for Penn State as he was on pace to join the team next year. pic.twitter.com/pgbOZTjYHw
Forward Kieren Dervin flips commitment to Michigan from Penn State
Dervin was a third round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, going 65th overall to the Vancouver Canucks. Other Nittany Lion commits who were selected in the most recent draft were winger Shea Busch (fourth round, No. 128 overall, Florida Panthers) and center Kale Dach (seventh round, No. 201, Pittsburgh Penguins).
Head coach Guy Gadowsky has been consistent in recruiting highly talented players from the Canadian Hockey League, and Dervin was one of them. He spent the last season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. In 2025-26, he logged 42 points on 17 goals and 25 assists.
This is a massive loss for Penn State, regardless of what forwards it still has committed. The Nittany Lions' roster is already slim, especially with their forward group due to players graduating, signing, and/or transferring. They expect to lose a generational talent in forward Gavin McKenna as well when he gets selected in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Dervin would've been a crucial piece of Gadowsky's offense, especially with a relatively slow offseason. So far in the Transfer Portal, Gadowsky has only picked up a defenseman, Caeden Herrington from Vermont. As of Thursday night, there are still 98 available forwards in the portal.
Instead, the Wolverines will reap the benefits of Dervin's offensive ability. Michigan was the top team in the country in 2025-26, but fell short in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals. It lost to eventual national champion Denver, 4-3, in a heated thriller that went into double overtime.
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