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**Penn State Hockey Lands Elite Recruit Gavin McKenna, Projected No. 1 NHL Draft Pick**
**STATE COLLEGE, PA -** Penn State Nittany Lions men’s hockey has secured a major victory, landing a commitment from Gavin McKenna, a generational talent projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. According to a report by Elite Prospects, McKenna will join the team for the 2025-26 season, choosing Penn State over reported interest from Michigan State.
McKenna, only 17 years old, is considered one of the most highly touted recruits in college hockey history. The “five-tool player” has even drawn comparisons to NHL phenom Connor Bedard. Last season, playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, McKenna racked up an impressive 41 goals and 88 assists in just 56 games.
This commitment marks a program-defining moment for Penn State, especially after reaching the Frozen Four for the first time last season. McKenna is arguably the biggest recruit for the Nittany Lions since joining Division I hockey in 2012.
The addition of McKenna, along with Calgary Flames prospect Luke Misa and Columbus Blue Jackets first-round pick Jackson Smith, creates what some analysts call one of the most talented freshman classes in recent NCAA history. As Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects noted, “Add McKenna to the mix, and Penn State’s newest freshman class might be one of the most talented collections of incoming talent the NCAA has seen in a long time.”
The official commitment from McKenna is expected later this week. Penn State hockey fans have plenty to look forward to.
First Piper 