By Canadian Press, CHAT News Staff

DEVELOPING

Canadian junior hockey phenom Gavin McKenna to announce NCAA destination

Jul 8, 2025 | 12:45 PM

Junior hockey phenom and Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna is expected to announce his anticipated move to the NCAA on Tuesday.

McKenna will make the announcement on ESPN’s SportsCenter at 4 p.m. MST.

NHL.com reported Penn State and Michigan State are both in the running to land the 17-year-old from Whitehorse, YT.

It would be a game-changing decision for junior hockey as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NHL draft leaving the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers to join the United States college ranks.

McKenna had 41 goals and 88 assists in 56 regular-season games last season and helped Medicine Hat win its first WHL title since 2007 and reach the Memorial Cup final.

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In June, the six-foot winger became the third-youngest Canadian Hockey League player of the year, only Sidney Crosby and John Tavares were younger.

The last Tiger eligible for the honour was Kris Russell during the 2006-07 season, but he lost out to Tavares.

The NCAA lifted a long-standing ban in November, allowing CHL players to compete at U.S. colleges starting next season.