It was rumoured for months, but on July 8, 2025, it was finally confirmed that Gavin McKenna, the projected top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is heading to Penn State University. Ever since the NCAA changed its ruling regarding Canadian Hockey League (CHL) athletes, it was a day that many junior hockey fans dreaded, and it’s hard not to assume the worst is coming. His departure leaves the Medicine Hat Tigers, his former junior team, in a very tough spot, but raises even more questions about what will happen to junior hockey in the future.
Plenty has already been said about the move. Some people see it as a massive win for college sports and hockey in general, while others fear that this could result in the death of junior hockey as we know it. For the most part, the fear is vastly overblown; of the hundreds of players in the CHL, only around 150 are heading to college in 2025-26, and only a fraction of those were not in their final year of junior eligibility. The CHL will be fine and has already adapted its rules to accommodate the incoming and outgoing talent.
However, a big question still remains unanswered – how many stars will follow McKenna? It was recently reported that he signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal valued at around $700,000, which is money that even the richest teams in the CHL can’t replicate. But signing such a lucrative contract demands instant results. If McKenna struggles as a freshman in the NCAA and slips out of the consensus first overall choice for 2026, it’s unlikely that more high-profile CHL players will follow his lead, no matter how rich the offers are. McKenna will be under the microscope all season, and his performance will impact who decides to follow his example.
Penn State’s Offer Is a Massive Gamble
McKenna’s announcement was seen as a coup for college hockey. There arguably hasn’t been a bigger name in NCAA hockey since Jack Eichel in 2015 with Boston University. Even then, it’s hard to compare the two, since Eichel never overtook Connor McDavid as a potential first overall pick. There really hasn’t ever been a player in college who compares with the profile of McKenna. Adding him to Penn State’s program seems like a can’t-miss recruit.
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