The McKenna Project – Sport News

FeedzyTwo weeks from the NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna could bring in another milestone for Penn State hockey Read More
When Penn State fell to Minnesota-Duluth in the 2026 NCAA Hockey Tournament, it cemented what felt like a thoroughly “meh” season for a team that had national championship-level aspirations. The season was right in line with where the Nittany Lions usually are. Since 2015-16, Penn State has won 20 or more games seven times and made the NCAA Tournament five times (six if you count 2019-20). But given the increased talent level on the team, it was not the ending the fanbase was hoping to see. Even I was frustrated that issues evident at the beginning of the season never got fixed, and it cost the team dearly when it mattered the most.
A couple weeks ago, I watched The McKenna Project on HBO Max. The documentary explored the insane expectations Gavin McKenna faced at Penn State and how he dealt with the challenges of NCAA hockey. He largely struggled early in the season as a 17 year-old playing against much older players. In turn, many mock drafts removed him from the No. 1 position and pushed him further down the pecking order.
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On January 10, McKenna had just 18 points in 17 games. From that point forward, he was among the most dominant playmakers in the NCAA and rolled up 33 points in Penn State’s final 18 games. His 1.46 points per game ranked second in the nation among all skaters. In the final 18 games of the season, he was held off the scoresheet only three times. He set a single-game program record with 8 points against Ohio State on February 20, a feat not seen in the NCAA since 1987.
With the 2026 NHL Draft just two weeks away, most projections have restored McKenna as the No. 1 prospect. The last time Penn State had a No. 1 overall draft pick in any sport was in 2000, when Lavar Arrington and Courtney Brown occupied the top two spots in the NFL Draft. At the time, Penn State hockey was still over a decade away from playing its first game as a varsity sport. Come June 26, the drought has an excellent chance to end with the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting McKenna with the top pick.
It cannot be stated enough how important this is for Penn State. From 2012-13 to 2024-25, zero first round NHL Draft picks played in a game at Penn State. As of today, only three former Penn State skaters have played in the NHL. Brandon Biro, Casey Bailey, and Brett Murray have combined for 45 games, five goals, and four assists. This is not entirely unexpected given how young the program is, but the Nittany Lions struggled to attract top talent to State College.
Penn State began to reverse this trend in 2025 when Jackson Smith was drafted 14th overall shortly after committing to Penn State. Charlie Cerrato being taken by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2025 draft was a welcome surprise, as most projections had him as a middle-round prospect. Gavin McKenna joining the roster over the summer was the biggest splash of all. Almost overnight, the talent level on the roster reached an unprecedented level.
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As we saw last season, the talent did not always click, and Penn State’s regression on defense was too much to overcome in the end. Plenty of uber-talented hockey teams have fallen short. Michigan State had a 3-1 lead and stood five minutes from a trip to the Frozen Four before choking it away against Wisconsin. Michigan has lost in the Frozen Four ten times since their last national title in 1998.
Progress is not linear for a program as young as Penn State’s. There was good and bad in the 2025-26 season, but bringing in a player as talented as Gavin McKenna has elevated the team’s recruiting to a point I did not think was possible even five years ago. This offseason has already been busy, with four players signing professional contracts and a bevy of recruits committing or transferring in. It is entirely possible that four Penn State players and recruits will be drafted in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft. The future looks bright in Hockey Valley.