McKenna, who turns 18 in December, is regarded as a generational talent and has for the past two years been projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft.

Penn State fans across the country celebrated this week as the NHL’s draft prospect Gavin McKenna committed to the Nittany Lions, ushering in a new era in Hockeyvalley. Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky on Thursday called McKenna a “special player and a terrific young man.