After Gavin McKenna's Commitment, Penn State Hockey Makes a Recruiting Pitch

McKenna, the consensus No. 1 prospect of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, announced his commitment to Penn State hockey Tuesday in a live appearance on ESPN, prompting national attention on the Nittany Lions. Penn State qualified for its first Frozen Four last season, and McKenna's commitment pushed the program into the broader hockey conversation.

The statement from Kraft was particularly rare, as athletic directors seldom, if ever, make public comments about recruiting. Kraft is a public-facing administrator who wears his new fandom outwardly, but his statement still represented a new direction for Penn State hockey. The statement was part pitch to other players, and potential donors, about the future of the program.

"[McKenna's] commitment is a testament to the national reputation Guy Gadowsky and his staff have built, and we know he’ll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program," Kraft said. "We can’t wait to see him compete alongside this incredible group and help push our program to even greater heights.”

Gadowsky enters his 14th season as Penn State's head coach with a roster that FanDuel calls the favorite to win the 2026 NCAA title. After leading Penn State to its highest final ranking in program history, Gadowsky has recruited several players from the CHL, most notably McKenna, the league's reigning player of the year. Gadowsky capped his statement with a pitch as well.

“Gavin is a special player and a terrific young man," Gadowsky said in the statement. "Our staff could not have been more impressed with how he presented himself on his visit. His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole. We are absolutely thrilled and excited to witness his contributions on the ice, to our locker room, and to the Penn State community. This is a great day to be a Nittany Lion!”

McKenna, the third-youngest player to win the top CHL award after Sidney Crosby and John Tavares, had a remarkable season for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. McKenna scored 129 regular-season points (41 goals, 88 assists) and had a 54-game points streak that included the playoffs. The streak is the CHL's longest since 2000. He scored 173 points between the WHL regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup.

According to Penn State, McKenna is the "highest-rated recruit to choose NCAA hockey," following the NCAA's decision to allow CHL players to compete beginning next season. McKenna's recruiting tour was a huge story in college hockey and reportedly came down to Penn State and Michigan State.

McKenna said he chose to play college hockey over another year in the CHL for developmental reasons and chose Penn State because it's "a great spot for me."

"I think it honestly it just makes the jump easier, going against older, heavier stronger guys [in the NCAA]. It really prepares you," McKenna said in his appearance on ESPN. "Even in the locker room, hanging around older guys and being around more mature guys, I think that will help me a lot. … Going to college and being in such a great conference, it will really challenge and prepare me."

McKenna will make his Penn State debut in Tempe, Arizona. The Nittany Lions open their 2025-26 season with a two-game series against Arizona State on Oct. 3-4. Until then, here's an introductory video Penn State hockey posted to its X account.

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