Flyers draft: Penn State’s Gavin McKenna is once again stating his case to be the No. 1 overall pick

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Gavin McKenna is an 18-year-old prospect who plays like a seasoned NHL veteran. He sports a rare combination of vision and speed that takes most teenagers years to develop.

It’s why he’s drawn comparisons to future Hockey Hall of Famers Patrick Kane and Nikita Kucherov. It’s also why, before McKenna even played a game for Penn State, coach Guy Gadowsky said he planned to “let Gavin be Gavin.”

NHL teams have been queuing up for a chance to select McKenna in June’s NHL draft and to “let Gavin be Gavin.” But they will likely need a top-three selection, and maybe the No. 1 overall pick, to land the prolific winger.

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The Flyers, who not long ago occupied a playoff spot, could be among them. Losers of 11 of their last 13 games, the Orange and Black are tied for the ninth-lowest point total in the NHL and are firmly back in the McKenna sweepstakes.

With 29 games remaining, the Flyers have just a 12.5% chance to make the playoffs, according to Hockey Reference’s latest playoff probabilities report. And according to Tankathon, they currently have a 7.4% chance of landing the first or second pick in the draft lottery. While McKenna is a winger, and Philadelphia’s priorities are center and defense, if the Flyers get some long-overdue lottery luck, could they afford to pass on such an offensive talent, especially given their 21st-ranked offense?

Here’s a quick scouting report on McKenna and what the prospect could bring to the table at the next level.

Gadowsky has praised McKenna’s “elite” skating and puck skills. But to the longtime Nittany Lions coach, McKenna’s ability to “manipulate the pace” tops all else.

“[McKenna’s] work ethic is excellent,” Gadowsky said. “He’s extremely quick. He thinks the game differently. And you can see when there are drills that are game-specific, he uses time and space in a very unique way. … When you think [he’s] out of time and space, he manipulates it, and that’s what is really amazing to watch.”

Major expectations followed McKenna, who was viewed as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft, to Happy Valley when he committed to the Nittany Lions in July. Many questioned whether the then-17-year-old, who racked up 41 goals and 129 points last season in the Western Hockey League with Medicine Hat, could handle the physicality and rapid pace after making the step up to college hockey.

Through 24 games, McKenna has answered those questions. Among Division I skaters, the freshman is tied for 13th in points (32), and ranks 11th in both assists (21) and points per game (1.33). He’s been especially hot lately, having scored seven goals and tallied 14 points in eight games since returning from the World Juniors with Canada.

McKenna can see plays before they develop. He passes his teammates open rather than passing to open teammates — a skill set showcased on several of his team-high 21 assists.

“He does everything that the team wants and that the coaches want,” Gadowsky said. “He’s a big-moment player. He’s an incredible talent. But his desire to help the team is what I love most about him.”

The native of Whitehorse, Yukon, is a pass-first forward. He plays an unselfish game that sometimes teeters on being too unselfish. But that doesn’t mean he’s not aggressive when necessary, nor does it mean he can’t score.

McKenna tallied his first collegiate hat trick on Jan. 23 against Wisconsin. With Penn State sporting a two-goal lead, McKenna batted down an airborne puck, turned and skated into the offensive zone, and fired a perfectly placed wrist shot through traffic to complete the achievement.

McKenna’s shot isn’t the fastest, but it’s accurate. What his shot lacks in strength, he makes up for with a quick release and deft placement.

The left-handed forward showcased that accuracy in No. 5 Penn State’s 5-4 overtime loss to No. 2 Michigan State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. After receiving a slot feed, McKenna settled the puck and beat Detroit Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine to tie the contest at 2-2.

“I kind of blacked out on that one,” McKenna said of his goal. “I think just the emotions in that game — the crowd, the atmosphere, how tight of a game it was — it was pretty easy to get excited like that.”

McKenna wasn’t done. With the game tied in the second period, the speedy winger pinpointed a pass around two Michigan State defenders and onto the blade of Aiden Fink, who snapped one far side to give the Nittany Lions a 3-2 lead. McKenna scored or assisted on three of Penn State’s four goals on Saturday.

“Gavin is a super smart player. I know any time he has the puck, I always [have] to be ready,” Fink said. “I saw him have the puck in the corner, and I kind of knew he saw me. I knew he was going to give it to me.”

While McKenna sports a relatively polished game, his physicality, or lack thereof, is one of his weaknesses and something he’s working on. Standing 6-foot and 170 pounds, the left winger prefers to play a finesse game, which means using his speed to dodge hits and skate into space rather than fighting through contact.

But that doesn’t mean he’s afraid to get physical when necessary. After totaling just four penalty minutes across his first 21 collegiate contests, McKenna tallied 30 over his next two.

When Fink tumbled to the ice after taking a blindsided check in the Nittany Lions’ 6-3 loss to Michigan State on Friday, McKenna delivered a retaliatory cross-check on Cayden Lindstrom.

He received a five-minute major and a game misconduct. But teammates Reese Laubach and Jarod Crespo praised McKenna’s willingness to stand up for his linemate. And in the NHL, plays like that, especially from players not typically known for being physical, go a long way toward earning your teammates’ respect.

McKenna has the intangibles — elite speed, maturity, impressive playmaking — that make up a No. 1 pick. He’s the type of prospect who could change a franchise.

Think Matthew Schaefer, who’s on track to guide the New York Islanders to a playoff berth in his rookie season. Or Macklin Celebrini, who has his San Jose Sharks eyeing their first playoff berth since 2019. With some similar lottery luck, McKenna could be the spark the Flyers need to bring playoff hockey back to Philadelphia.