Gavin McKenna, the prospective first pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, ended his association with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League to play for Penn State of the NCAA.
McKenna played junior hockey with the Tigers for three seasons after being drafted first overall in 2022, and is leaving behind a WHL record that speaks for itself. Over 133 regular-season games, he accumulated 244 points.
However, McKenna has decided to continue his career in the United States. The 17-year-old committed to Penn State earlier this month. His NIL deal is worth a jaw-dropping $700,000, just $75,000 less than the league minimum salary.
Michigan State was also eager to land McKenna and had offered him $300,000. But the Nittany Lions had the last laugh at the end of the day.
While many in Canada would have loved to see McKenna continue to thrive in one of the Canadian hockey leagues, Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Commissioner Bryan Crawford is keeping his cool.
OHL Commissioner Clarifies His Position on Gavin McKenna’s Decision To Join the NCAA
McKenna chose to join the Nittany Lions months after the NCAA lifted the ban on Canadian players from competing at colleges in the United States. McKenna acknowledged WHL’s merit, but the NCAA was a clear choice.
“Both options were great, but I just think going to college, being in such a great conference, it’ll really challenge me and prepare me,” McKenna said.
For McKenna, the NCAA’s challenging environment made it worth it.
Penn State Earns Commitment From Top NHL Prospect, Gavin McKenna!!
The reigning WHL and CHL Player of the Year becomes the highest rated recruit to choose NCAA hockey, set to join the Nittany Lions this fall!!#WeAre #HockeyValley
Read ⬇️⬇️https://t.co/CEznSuTRKQ
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) July 10, 2025
Crawford first recognized the importance of the changes in NCAA regulations in November 2024 that made way for such developments.
“I think it’s certainly been an incredible time of change,” Crawford said. “The change to the NCAA regulations back in the fall has led to kind of a complete overhaul of development.”
The OHL commissioner also highlighted how McKenna’s decision to hone his hockey skills further in the NCAA reflects how young hockey players now have more control over their careers and can make vital decisions regarding them.
“They have a great opportunity to play in our league and develop here, and then have the opportunity to continue to pursue hockey,” Crawford said. “And for some, that might be at the NHL level, for some, that might be at the HLL.
“For some, that might give them the opportunity to move on to the NCAA. And I think that’s a great thing for the development ecosystem.”
Moreover, notwithstanding the hefty NIL deal, Crawford underlines that McKenna is a player of unprecedented caliber and thus can fit right into a mature league such as the NCAA. While most teens would clearly struggle to adjust, the 17-year-old is a “generational” player who is expected to go first in the 2026 NHL Draft.
“[The NCAA] is not the best development environment for most 18, 19-year-old players because it is such an older league than the CHL is,” Crawford said. “So I think that’s a big factor in all of this as well.
“And the teams that are looking to win in the NCAA, they have a better likelihood to do that with older players. Now, generational players like Gavin and some other players may have an opportunity to go down there and have success.”
Crawford, the OHL’s commissioner, realizes that McKenna is more focused on bettering his personal profile and sharpening his hockey skills by opting to participate in the NCAA. He states that the OHL will continue to strive for the best “player experience” and adapt with changing times.
