Ahead of Penn State men’s hockey’s game on Friday, our hockey beat debated some hot takes they’ve heard so far this postseason.

Guy Gadowsky Should Be On The Hot Seat

Jamie Lynch: Lunacy in its purest form. This program has only had one coach in its 13-year history, and for good reason. In just four seasons, Guy Gadowsky took his team to the top of the Big Ten, claiming the conference championship. And in 12 seasons, he led Penn State to its first-ever Frozen Four, an achievement that is truly mind-blowing to think about. This group has dealt with countless injuries this season that would have worn down any team in the NCAA. Gadowsky is arguably a top-two coach at this university and should absolutely remain on staff for the distant future.

Alex Smith: While I did agree with this opinion last December before the team ended up in the Frozen Four, I don’t agree with this now. I do think it will be disappointing if the Nittany Lions fall short, but that is not something you can completely pin on a head coach. I think he has proven he deserves to remain the head coach of this program. 

Ryan McInerney: I’m not falling for this ragebait. Penn State men’s hockey is where it’s at because of Guy Gadowsky. The program just made its first Frozen Four in program history and has established itself as a legitimate hockey school under him. Penn State needs Gadowsky just as much as Gadowsky needs Penn State.

Anything Less Than A National Championship Is A Failure

Jamie Lynch: It started as “National Championship or bust,” and it should continue that way. You simply do not go out and spend $700,000 on a generational talent if you do not intend to win the whole thing. Sure, a lot has transpired since Gavin McKenna signed with Penn State. The team lost its captain to injury and had to battle through a lot of unexpected twists and turns along the way. But the reality is, a majority of the roster is healthy now, and the expectation should be the same as when the season began. If the alternative captains can’t will this team to make up for a nine-goal scorer in Dowiak, then maybe they shouldn’t be the ones wearing the A on their chest.

Alex Smith: Yes. Making the Frozen Four last year was a great step, and now the next step is a national championship. The team needs to make the Frozen Four and the national championship game. With the talent on this team, they can’t let it go to waste. It is time to capitalize on the roster. 

Ryan McInerney: No. This team has dealt with a ton of injuries throughout the season, and the biggest one by far was losing captain Dane Dowiak. He’s still around the group, but his presence on the ice has definitely been missed. On top of that, the Nittany Lions have hit a rough stretch lately, dropping games against the teams that sit above them in the NCAA Tournament. Calling anything less than a national championship a failure feels like a stretch for a team that just became a national contender one year ago.

Can The Team Flip The Switch?

Jamie Lynch: I’d like to think so. The team has more than enough talent, and the commanding victory over Minnesota in the Big Ten Quarterfinals was promising. In terms of the loss to Michigan, if Penn State can clean up the penalties, it should absolutely be able to “flip the switch” and go on a run. The odds that the team goes 0-8 on the power play again are, let’s just say, slim. As I said earlier, a championship is the expectation.

Alex Smith: I’m honestly not too sure. The team made a statement against Minnesota, but once again fell to Michigan. I think the team needs to flip the switch, and I do think they have it in them. The roster is stacked. They are battle-tested. There is absolutely no reason why the team cannot take a national championship trophy home this year. However, they probably should have flipped the switch a month or so ago. January and February were rocky for the Nittany Lions, but I can imagine the hockey gods thinking that it is time for a tilt. 

Ryan McInerney: The optimistic answer I want to say is yes, but the product I’ve seen on the ice is telling me no. This group 100% has the talent to win a national championship, but it’s not going to be easy. They open against Minnesota-Duluth, an NHCH team, and Penn State hasn’t seen much success against that conference. Even if they do get through that, it only gets harder. They’d have to turn around and play the winner of Michigan vs. Bentley two days later. 

Gavin McKenna Has Met Expectations

Jamie Lynch: Yeah, this kid may be the real deal. I will admit, I was underwhelmed at first by Gavin McKenna’s lack of production, as anyone who had followed him before college should have been. But since World Juniors, the freshman phenom has turned it on. His eight-point game cemented him as a Penn State legend, and his stats speak for themselves. I would like to apologize for my overreaction. Keep doing you, seven-two.

Alex Smith: I was a little skeptical after the first half of the season, but now, I think McKenna is the real deal. He is a Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalist, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and more. He leads the team and the Big Ten in points, coming in at second in the nation. These stats were not happening in November, folks. 

Ryan McInerney: Undoubtedly. Since mid January, Gavin McKenna has been elite. He put up three points in a game against Notre Dame, followed it up with a hat trick in a comeback win at Wisconsin, then added another three-point game at Beaver Stadium. After that, he exploded for 10 points in a single weekend, including his eight-point night and overtime game-winner the next game. He’s third in the Big Ten in scoring, broke Penn State’s freshman scoring record, currently sits at second in the nation in points per game, and leads the country in assists per game. Four Big Ten weekly honors, two First Stars, and now a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist. It’s not even a debate.