Report: Potential NHL 2026 No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna down to Michigan State, Penn State

According to SN’s Elliotte Friedman, prized hockey prospect Gavin McKenna is down to two schools. McKenna met with four via Zoom but Friedman believes the race to sign him will come down to Michigan State and Penn State. The Nittany Lions were previously the main program Friedman heard and now, McKenna appears to have a decision to make.

“I heard over the past couple of weeks, he did some Zooms,” Friedman said via 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. “He did Penn State, he did Michigan State, he did Michigan, and he did Denver. And it sounds like it’s probably coming down to Penn State, who we guessed, and Michigan State. Nothing decided but it sounds like that’s where he’s at. We’ll see where it goes.”

Although the 2025 NHL Draft is set to take place on Friday, the entire hockey world is mesmerized by McKenna, a prospect for the following year. He is not draft-eligible until 2026, which means one more season is required. McKenna last played for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. However, due to an influx of NIL money in college hockey, top prospects are coming stateside.

McKenna put up absurd numbers during the 2024-2025 season despite only being 17 years old. In 56 games played, he recorded 129 points with 41 goals and 88 assists. For a comparison, recent No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard put up 100 points in the WHL a year removed from being drafted back in 2021-2022, scoring 51 goals and assisting on another 49.

Ping pong balls will determine the fate of NHL franchises sometime next summer. McKenna is widely viewed as the league’s next special player. And based on what Friedman says, Big Ten fans will get to enjoy him for one season.

More on Michigan State, Penn State hockey

Michigan State was one of the top programs in college hockey last season, finishing with a record of 26-7-4. For the second consecutive season, the Spartans won the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships. Earning the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament was nice for a few moments before being upset by Cornell in the first round.

As for Penn State, they finished last season with a 22-14-4 record, finishing fifth in the Big Ten. They made their way into the NCAA Tournament before going on an incredible run to the Frozen Four for the first time in program history. A dream journey with wins against Maine and UConn was unfortunately halted by Boston University in St. Louis in the semifinals.