Generational Talent Likely Headed to Pennsylvania Next Season After Latest Report

The 2025 NCAA season is shaping up to be a good one, with so many big names in the world of junior hockey headed to college, and now, we may have seen the biggest news of all confirmed.

For months now, ever since the change of the CHL-NCAA rules, there have been rumours about Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, who could potentially depart the WHL.

Now, it's all but been confirmed, as Elliotte Friedman has revealed on his latest podcast that Penn State are the favourites to land the young star, and while nothing has yet been made official, things are trending in that direction.

McKenna turned 17 half way through the 2024/25 campaign with Medicine Hat, and despite playing against players years older than him, he posted a historic season, putting up an incredible 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games, leading the Tigers to the WHL Championship and to the Final of the Memorial Cup.

The production led many to claim he was the best D-1 player in the Canadian Hockey League since Sidney Crosby in the QMJHL over two decades ago, and with 226 points in his past two seasons, it's easy to see why.

There is still hope within the WHL that they can retain the Yukon native, but given the numbers he put up this past season, he may want the challenge of playing against higher level players in the NCAA before his draft year.

If McKenna does make the jump, it will be a sizeable loss for the WHL, but with so much young talent throughout North America, this is a win-win situation for McKenna as he figures to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.