Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is set to make his NCAA hockey debut this weekend as the no. 5 Nittany Lions travel to the desert to face no. 14 Arizona State on Friday. He’s rearing to get on the ice and prove the hype surrounding him is legit.
“I’m itching to play games,” he told reporters at the team’s media day on Monday. “There’s a lot of excitement around our team and obviously I’m pumped for this year.”
McKenna, 17, will likely be the most-watched college player this season as the projected first overall pick in next year’s NHL Draft. Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky thinks that’s for good reason.
“He does think the game differently,” Gadowsky said Monday. “He’s a different animal when it comes to that, not only compared to any freshman, just compared to anybody. He thinks the game in a very unique, quite amazing way.”
McKenna committed to Penn State in July after spending the past three seasons in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He recorded 129 points (41g, 88a) in 56 games during the team’s championship campaign last year. The Whitehorse, Yukon native could’ve stayed for a fourth season, but he wants to help the Nittany Lion program take the next step. He reportedly spurned the courtship of Michigan State, another Big Ten program, when making his decision.
“I didn’t know if I was gonna go to college for a long time, but in January, I thought if I was ever gonna go to a college it would be Penn State,” he told reporters Monday. “I don’t know why, but I had that gut feeling. As soon as I saw this place, I kind of knew I was coming here.”
Penn State is coming off its first-ever appearance in the Frozen Four this past April, ultimately falling to the Boston University Terriers 3-1 in the semifinal round. With a so-called generational talent like McKenna on the roster, a national championship run could be within reach.
“Seeing what these guys did last year, making it to the Frozen Four, that was a big influence on me,” McKenna said. “I wanted to come to a winning team and I thought this was the spot.”
McKenna’s reputation for on-ice excellence precedes him. He was named a preseason All-Big Ten selection and his presence gave voters confidence to pick the Nittany Lions to finish second in the conference, ironically behind Michigan State.
“[I’ve] never seen anything like [what he does,]” Gadowsky praised. “I can’t explain how he does what he does with the puck. I can only observe it.”
NHL Network could potentially broadcast the season-opening series on Friday and Saturday, per NHL.com contributor Mark Divver. The national availability of the games hasn’t been officially announced, however, meaning only local viewers in Tempe are confirmed to have television coverage. Streamers are limited to watching on the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s website (NCHC.tv) after paying for a subscription.
McKenna is eligible to play college hockey due to the NCAA’s vote last November to permit Canadian junior players to participate in Division I play beginning with this season. Previously, all players in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL were prevented from playing under the NCAA’s amateur eligibility rules.
