Why Gavin McKenna’s move to the NCAA is great for the sport of hockey
Gavin McKenna, the projected 2026 No. 1 pick, announced Tuesday he is committing to play for Penn State University for the 2025-26 season, leaving the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.
McKenna’s name, image, and likeness rights are expected to be around $700,000, sources tell Daily Faceoff.
In 2024-25, McKenna scored 41 goals and 88 assists for 129 points in just 56 regular-season games, then added 38 points in the playoffs to help the Tigers win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions.
On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL defenseman Colby Cohen discuss McKenna’s decision to move to college hockey and what it means for the future of the game.
Tyler Yaremchuk: There is a part of me that is sad that this is the new normal in the hockey world, where the top prospect goes and plays college hockey instead of playing things out in the CHL. But I also think it’s pretty clear to see why this is not just best for McKenna, but best for the sport, as well.
Colby Cohen: I live in a world where everybody can play in the sand box. I can understand people from the town of Medicine Hat that are probably very disappointed today, they’ve spent a lot of time watching McKenna the last couple seasons, they’ve invested money in the jerseys. State college is not an easy place to get to from Alberta, and I do recognize and understand that.
But at the end of the day, I think this just makes the NHL better. I think these kids now have an opportunity to move up a level and play against older, more mature hockey players. Bigger guys, stronger guys, which is what you’re going to get at the next level in the pros, anyway.
Look at what McKenna did in junior last year. You tell me: what is best for him? To score 220 points and not have to worry about habits? Or go to the NCAA, get in the gym, spend a lot of time practicing and then playing against an average of 21-, 22- and 23-year old players all season?
You can watch the full episode here…