History made.

Penn State men’s hockey forward Gavin McKenna was drafted No. 1 overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

The selection marks the first time in program history that a player has been taken first overall, and the second time in school history that a Penn Stater has received the distinction, joining football’s Courtney Brown, who was selected in the top spot of the 2000 NFL draft.

THE. PICK. IS. IN. #NHLDraft x #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/rmV45zj3tx

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) June 26, 2026

McKenna will head to Toronto, the league’s biggest hockey market, with sky-high expectations he set for himself through elite play at the major junior and collegiate levels.

In McKenna’s 2024-25 season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, he recorded a staggering 129 points in 56 games played, a number that included 41 goals, 88 assists, and amounted to a 2.30 point-per-game clip. He also helped guide the team to a WHL Championship and Memorial Cup Finals appearance while donning the “A” on his chest as an alternate captain.

After McKenna’s record-breaking three-year tenure with the Tigers, a span that included 295 total points, a modern CHL record 54-game point streak, and a U18 World Championships gold medal with Team Canada, the young winger decided to make the jump to the NCAA, committing to Penn State men’s hockey and Guy Gadowsky’s squad in July 2025.

No. 72 got off to a slower start than expected in his collegiate career, recording 18 points in 16 games and just four goals. After returning home from the World Juniors Championship in January with a Bronze Medal, McKenna exploded during the second half of the season, tallying 33 points in 19 games.

His most notable game of the 2025-26 season was at Pegula Ice Arena against Ohio State, where he set a new program record with eight points and seven assists. The next night, McKenna went on to score the overtime game winner, helping the Nittany Lions secure a sweep.

Over the course of the season, McKenna earned four Big Ten Star of the Week awards and received recognition for being the HCA National Rookie of the Month on two occasions. Additionally, he was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, was a 2026 Hobey Baker Finalist, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and was the lone unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. McKenna’s 38 points in conference play also paved the way for him to be named Big Ten Scoring Champion, another first in program history.

After making the playoffs in each of the past nine seasons leading up to 2026, the Maple Leafs lucked out by winning the NHL Draft Lottery with the fifth-highest odds following a disappointing year.

McKenna will join a star-studded roster that includes William Nylander, John Tavares, and former Hart and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews.

Though unlikely, it remains to be seen whether McKenna will return to Happy Valley next fall for further development.