[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Mar.22nd: Here's a summary of a few of LW Gavin McKenna's accomplishments:
-6th best season all-time by a U-17 player in the WHL, and 2nd best (behind Connor Bedard) since the 1987-88 season, with 97 points in 61 games in 2023-24.
-13th-best season of all-time by a U-18 player in the WHL, and 3rd-best (behind Connor Bedard and Pavel Brendl) since the 1989-90 season, with 129 points in 56 games in 2024-25.
-Since the 1989-90 season, only 12 U-18 skaters have more points in Memorial Cup competition than McKenna's 6 points in 4 games.
-His 2.30 PPG mark from the 2024-25 season is 3rd-best all-time by a U-18 player in the WHL, and second only to Bedard since the 1986-87 season.
-His 38 points in 16 playoff games in the 2024-25 season are 3rd-best all-time in the WHL, or 2nd-best to Bedard since the 1986-87 season.
-McKenna owns the record for points by a U-17 player at the U-18 Worlds, posting 20 points in 7 games in 2024 (he took home Gold)- two more than Alex Ovechkin. His 10 goals are third-best.
-His 14 points in 7 games at the 2026 World Juniors is tied for 42nd all-time, and tied for 14th-best all-time by a U-19 player.
-For players 18 years-old and under, McKenna's 51 points in 34 NCAA contests this season with Penn State is tied for 56th-best all-time- after a slow start in his freshman season.
-McKenna won Bronze with Team Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, posting 6 points in 5 games.
McKenna is #1 for North American Skaters, according to Central Scouting.

Walter Gretzky once told his son Wayne to not go to where the puck is, but go to where the puck is going. Far be it from anyone to make direct comparisons to the Great One, but like Wayne Gretzky, Gavin McKenna is not the biggest player on the ice (5'11",170lbs), he's not the fastest, he will never win a Selke, doesn't play a physical game, and doesn't have the hardest shot- all he does is create offense at a level higher than "elite", and make his teammates better. McKenna can disappear for long stretches, appears to float a lot, and does most of his damage from the perimeter. He started the current season with 18 points in his first 16 games with Penn State, numbers that are more than respectable for a player in their draft-year, but he caught fire upon his return from the World Juniors, posting 33 points in the last 18 contests. Obviously, McKenna's most important attribute is his superhuman brain, that supplies with him with the kind of hockey sense, instincts, and IQ that only come along once or twice in a generation; he is an offensive wizard in the truest sense of the word. He has the foresight and instincts to see passing seams and shooting lanes that haven't even appeared yet, and owns the distribution skill to thread the needle through the smallest spaces. McKenna is not a burner, but he can solve several problems at once with his deceitful agility, and his maneuverability on his edges; he can pivot and turn on a dime, and throws defenders off with quick changes of pace and direction. A gifted stick handler, he can deke and dangle his way through small spaces, while breaking ankles and forcing defenders to scramble- he baits opponents into missing, manipulates the puck around sticks and between feet, and has soft mitts to beat goalies in-tight. While his shot is not overwhelming in terms of it's heaviness and velocity, it's remarkably well-placed and precise, and facilitated by a deceptive release that includes changes in the angle of his blade, pass-fakes, look-offs, and a smart use of screens. He can fire while in-motion, and can shoot equally well off of either foot. While he has often been accused of being unable to get to the middle, he can actually exploit small holes in coverage to make timed forays to the inside, and he doesn't need more than a quick touch to make something happen.

Much of his play-creation comes from the perimeter, but he can dissect defenses like few others can with his incisive playmaking vision, and knows how to slow down the play to draw pressure, or attack space to make defenses shift. McKenna must be doing more than creating offense for the Nittany Lions, as he routinely plays well over 20 minutes per game in this, his freshman season- and often even plays over 25. Some say that his defensive play and off-puck game have improved quite a bit this year, but there is still some room to grow in his effort and intensity, as well as his engagement level. McKenna may not be a physical player, but he has certainly shown signs of some chippiness and competitive fire this season, with 36 PIM in 34 games, and we all know that he's fully capable of dispatching an adversary with a single punch. McKenna doesn't shy away from the rough-going, and can play through contact. For all his perceived faults, McKenna has generational talent, and still has some runway for growth.. Look for him in the top-two.