File Photo/CHAT News

By Jesse Gill, Eli J. Ridder

SPORTS

Gavin McKenna, star Medicine Hat Tigers forward, makes Canada’s World Junior squad

Dec 13, 2024 | 4:30 PM

Medicine Hat Tigers star forward Gavin McKenna was named to Canada’s World Junior roster on Friday.

The IIHF World Junior Championship gets underway in Ottawa starting Boxing Day.

McKenna is the first Tigers player to make the roster since the 2008-09 season, when Tyler Ennis represented the country and the Tigers.

“There’s been a lot of good players who’ve come through here, so to kind of be one of those guys and following their footsteps and hopefully playing at the world juniors I think it’s pretty cool,” McKenna told CHAT News when he was named to the selection camp.

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READ: Medicine Hat Tigers forward McKenna named to Canada’s world junior selection camp roster

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McKenna remains the top point producer in the entire Canadian Hockey League with 60 points in 30 games, including 19 goals and 41 assists.

During an interview with CHAT News earlier in the season McKenna spoke about his desire to make the world junior team.

“The opportunity to play for Team Canada during Christmas time in the world juniors. That’s been a goal of mine since I was a little kid,” McKenna said.

“I’m going to push every single day to hopefully reach that goal this year.”

He had credited his work with the Tigers coaching staff this season in helping him get invited to camp.

“Willie helped me quite a bit and the coaching staff kind of told me what I got to work on to my chances up of getting there and I’ve been working on that all year and it helped me,” McKenna said.

“I think my defensive abilities for sure that was a big one they talked about. Hockey Canada they love their big boys and they’re defensive players so me being a smaller guy I had to work on that stuff and just the little details like stopping and starting and just little habits.”

McKenna was excited to see familiar names on the selection camp roster.

“I’ve played with lots of those guys before. I’ve kind of built some chemistry with them and it’s exciting,” McKenna said.

“We’ve talked about how excited we all are and I think when we’re there we’re gonna be ready to go and you know it helps a lot that I’ve played with a couple of those guys before.”

Even before making the roster and heading to camp McKenna was focused on being a key player for the Canadian World Junior team.

“I don’t want to just go there just to be there and play there, I want to play some big minutes and play a big role,” McKenna said.

McKenna is the second player from Whitehorse, Yukon to play for Canada at the world juniors.

He remembers watching fellow Whitehorse resident Dylan Cozens play in the tournament fondly.

“I know him super well just to kind of see what he did in World Juniors, he lit it up and I know the city of Whitehorse was super proud of him,” McKenna said.

“We all supported him so you know I think it’s exciting knowing that I have that support in Whitehorse and my hometown behind me, so it’s super cool.”