Three Nittany Lions were among the top NHL Draft prospects invited to Buffalo, N.Y., for the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine.

Gavin McKenna was joined by Penn State commits Pierce Mbuyi and Jaxon Cover at the event, with all three hoping to improve their draft stock ahead of the June 26 draft.

Here’s how each Penn Stater performed.

Gavin McKenna

Following Penn State’s season, McKenna declined the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship and instead focused on preparing for the NHL combine.

Entering the weekend as the projected No 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, all eyes were on McKenna. The Penn State forward lived up to the hype, finishing among the top 20 in seven events and putting up some of the best numbers in the draft class.

McKenna’s strongest showing came in the VO2 Max aerobic fitness test, where he led the field with a score of 65 ml/kg/min. The 5-foot-11.25, 170-pound winger also placed fourth in the isokinetic squat test with a score of 3.40 times his body weight, tied for sixth with 14 pull-ups, and finished eighth in the force plate no arm jump at 19.5 inches.

Beyond the testing, McKenna participated in eight interviews with NHL clubs throughout the week. In his NHL Draft Diary, he said he quickly settled into the process after his first meeting and said he enjoyed learning more about each organization. McKenna noted that teams were less interested in discussing his on-ice ability and more focused on getting to know him as a person.

McKenna admitted the combine’s bike tests were among the toughest challenges of the weekend. He singled out the Wintage cycle ergometer as the most difficult event, and also mentioned the combine’s new squat test and 10-meter sprint.

Pierce Mbyui

Before even arriving at Penn State, Mbuyi is already building a solid resume ahead of the NHL Draft.

Ranked No. 56 by NHL.com, the Penn State commit is considered a second-round talent and backed that with a strong showing.

Mbuyi’s best result came in the isokinetic squat test, where he led all participants with a score of 3.62 times his body weight. He also finished second in bench press power at 7.1 watts/kg and tied for the sixth-highest pull-up total with 14 reps. Mbuyi additionally placed 14th in the horizontal jump, 16th in the force plate no arm jump, and 20th in right-hand grip strength.

He also confirmed his plans for next season during the combine, saying, “My plan is to be back in Owen Sound.”

Jaxon Cover

Fresh off being named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team, Cover headed to Buffalo for the NHL combine. The Penn State commit became the first London Knights forward to earn the honor since Sam Gagner and Patrick Laine in 2006-07 after recording 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 67 games. The 6-foot-1 winger’s best results came in the anaerobic fitness test, where he finished fifth overall with a score of 41.5.

Cover also met with several NHL organizations throughout the weekend. He confirmed to The Hockey News that he sat down with the Detroit Red Wings and said that walking into a room with general manager Steve Yzerman carried some weight.

Cover also met with the Vancouver Canucks, describing the interview as “pretty relaxing” and saying he had “a great time.”