McKenna building case to go 1st overall in 2026
After racking up points and gold medals this year, 16-year-old forward Gavin McKenna is building a strong case to go first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The latest notch on his belt? A strong performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an Under-18 international event that showcases future NHL talent. The Whitehorse, Yukon, native registered three goals and six points in five games while helping Canada win gold for the third consecutive year.
As the spotlight on him continues to burn brighter, "Klondike Gold" is doing his best to remain even-keeled.
"When you're out there, you don't really focus on that," McKenna said, according to NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. "Maybe outside of (the Hlinka Gretzky Cup), it might get to you a little bit that people are watching you, but you just have to focus on where you're at, where your feet are, and keep moving forward."
Saturday's 2-1 victory over Czechia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup marked McKenna's second gold medal in a three-month span. He propelled Canada to the top of the podium at the 2024 Under-18 World Championship in May.
McKenna led all skaters with 10 goals in seven games, while his 20 points set a Canadian record for the most at a single tournament, obliterating Tyson Jost and 2024 first overall pick Macklin Celebrini's shared record of 15 points. McKenna also scored a hat trick in the final against the United States.
The youngster had enjoyed a dominant rookie season with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers. He ranked second among all first-year players with 34 goals and 97 points in 61 games this past campaign, trailing only Terik Parascak in both offensive categories. Parascak was taken 17th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2024 NHL Draft and is a year-and-a-half older than McKenna.
McKenna put up 32 points in 26 games before turning 16 on Dec. 20. He won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL's best first-year player and collected the CHL Rookie of the Year Award.
Next, McKenna has his eye on claiming a spot on Canada's 2025 World Junior Championship roster.
"That would be a goal for sure to play for the country again," he said. "It's always been a dream of mine, so I'll have that in the back of my mind all year and have that come true potentially. It's definitely motivating, and I'm going to be working my hardest until that time."
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