Gavin McKenna, the surefire No. 1 pick in next June’s NHL Draft, will play college hockey for Penn State next season, according to reports.
McKenna, who had 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games as a 17-year-old with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League last season, reportedly was down to a final two of Penn State and Michigan State. He had a record 54-game scoring streak near the end of last season and was the third-youngest player ever named player of the year in Canadian major junior hockey, trailing only Sidney Crosby and John Tavares.
The news was first reported by Elite Prospects, citing multiple anonymous sources, and was confirmed by the Centre Daily Times.
McKenna is the highest-profile recruit to ever choose Penn State, a program on the rise. The Nittany Lions went 22-14-4 last season and reached the Frozen Four for the first time in school history. The team ended the season ranked No. 5 in the country.
McKenna’s recruiting class will also include a first-rounder from this year’s NHL Draft: 6-foot-4 defenseman Jackson Smith, who went 14th overall to Columbus.
Last November, the NCAA changed its rules to allow Canadian major junior players to be eligible to compete in college hockey.
