A first for our Hockey Program.
McKenna goes #1 in NHL Draft
- Thread starter LionsAndBears
- Start date
Good for him, but he was a one season rent a player for PSU. I don’t consider him to be a true product of the PSU program.
100%--I'm also glad the incident in January wasn't held against him
Kid is going to be a stud
Did you have issues with football players entering the draft early? McKenna was NHL ready--I don't see the issue.
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He could have chosen another school but he didn't, he chose Penn State.
If Becht wins the Heisman and leads us to a Natty, will you celebrate him? Bet you will!
Aren't all "college athletes" rental players these days?
This is why the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967.
This is great for Penn State. We got a player who was most likely the best player in the world and did not ruin him in one season.
On another note...
@Tom McAndrew has be on "vacation" for a few hours and we already have multiple threads on the same topic.
www.on3.com
Maybe we do know what we are doing after all. 
On another note...
@Tom McAndrew has be on "vacation" for a few hours and we already have multiple threads on the same topic.
2026 NHL Draft tonight (June 26th). Gavin McKenna expected to be the #1 pick.
McKenna expected to go #1 to Toronto. Big for Penn State. 🙂 I just hope that McKenna thanks Franklin. o_O
The boy will need some sand in his shorts to be NHL ready. Imagine what someone like Wilson, Trenin, or Clutterbuck would do with McKenna. He'll be in the cross hairs for sure.
Yeah, he probably needs to add 10-15 pounds but he's about the same size Ben Kindel was during the draft and he survived with less talent.
Kindel held his own for the most part. He did get laid out a few times, but that's part and parcel to being a rookie NHL forward. The difference is Kindel was drafted #11 and was on the Pen's third line. Toronto needs top line production and doesn't have a Crosby or Malkin to take up a lot of another team's attention. I like both players and think they'll be around for a long time if they don't get killed first.
They make a high-quality poutine in Toronto. I'm just suggesting McKenna has a couple plates of that a day until training camp.
McKenna Maple at The Creamery next year?
bieber. For f*ck’s sake.
www.espn.com
Toronto Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna to open NHL draft
Quickly putting to rest any speculation of a change of heart, the Maple Leafs selected Penn State winger Gavin McKenna, 18, with the first pick of the NHL draft after he posted 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games for the Nittany Lions.
www.espn.com
Of course.
'Top line production' would include the second line. McKenna will start out on the third line and be on the second by January, IMHO. Toronto is working to become relevant right now. I like what they're doing on defense too.
I did want to mention how awkward Bieber's announcing of the 1st overall draft pick was.
I did want to mention that Bieber's announcing of the 1st overall draft pick was straight up awkward.
Oh, and it all makes sense now. Pegula wanted the first player announced in the draft in his arena to be from Penn State.
Toronto Maple Leafs select Gavin McKenna to open NHL draft
Quickly putting to rest any speculation of a change of heart, the Maple Leafs selected Penn State winger Gavin McKenna, 18, with the first pick of the NHL draft after he posted 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games for the Nittany Lions.
I did want to mention that Bieber's announcing of the 1st overall draft pick was straight up awkward.
Oh, and it all makes sense now. Pegula wanted the first player announced in the draft in his arena to be from Penn State.
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This is also important for the program.
Hopefully this kid can also play some basketball for Penn State lol
7-foot-1 Alexander Karmanov tallest player drafted in NHL - ESPN
7-foot-1 Alexander Karmanov tallest player drafted in NHL - ESPN
Don’t see how this is anything other than awesome for Penn State. From now until the end of his career they’ll say he played his college hockey at Penn State. And he seems to have loved it here too. Have no doubt any star in any other sport would have left after one year had they the chance - and it wouldn’t bother me a bit. Big day for the kid and the program.
They'll almost all go to Penn State...most will make more money that way. Junior hockey and college hockey now are way better options than the AHL or ECHL.
Like the Pens first two picks will play at Medicine Hat this year then go to North Dakota (or NDSU forget which) in 2027. These kids are usually 3-4 years away from sniffing the pros.
I like Kindle but he gets manhandled on the ice, especially in the corners fighting for the puck.
Kindel can put on some weight too but what he did as an 18 year old that was expected to be 2 years away when we drafted him was damn impressive. McKenna isn't going to score 40 or have 100 points as a rookie (most likely) as he's not a generational player but he's going to be very good despite needing to add some weight/muscle. JMO, time will tell, but his skill level will make the weight relatively meaningless as a rookie. Although he's in Toronto so maybe unfair expectations alter that
McKenna probably was the best college player but he sure ain’t the best hockey player in the world.This is great for Penn State. We got a player who was most likely the best player in the world and did not ruin him in one season.
On another note...
@Tom McAndrew has be on "vacation" for a few hours and we already have multiple threads on the same topic.
Maybe we do know what we are doing after all.2026 NHL Draft tonight (June 26th). Gavin McKenna expected to be the #1 pick.
McKenna expected to go #1 to Toronto. Big for Penn State. 🙂 I just hope that McKenna thanks Franklin. o_O
It is hard for Big Ten hockey programs. You'd love to have rosters loaded with Juniors and Seniors, but if you come across a rare talent like McKenna, you have to take them and just be thankful for the time they are with the program.