The Gavin McKenna Sweepstakes: Cases for MSU and PSU

Because of the new NCAA/CHL agreement, McKenna now has the opportunity to spend his draft year playing hockey at the collegiate level – something that prospects of years past didn’t have the luxury of.

As time winds down, McKenna is between two schools for likely his first and only season in college hockey. Michigan State and Penn State, with both offering significant advantages for the trajectory of his career.

For Michigan State, the objective is simple.

Pair McKenna with the top prospects in the world and make a run at the Spartans’ first National Championship since 2007.

One of those top prospects is Cayden Lindstrom, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and the Columbus Blue Jackets' top prospect. He also played with McKenna as a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League – so there’s already a tangible chemistry here.

Another positive for the Spartans is their strength and conditioning coach, Will Morlock, who is one of the more respected strength coaches in college hockey.

Obviously, McKenna has the skill to play at the next level, but his body hasn’t fully developed to prepare for the NHL – which is McKenna’s ultimate goal.

Morlock would be the perfect match for him, as he was named the strength and conditioning coach for USA’s Under-17 and 18 national teams, as well as contributing to the gold medal team of the 2021 World Junior Championships.

Penn State is coming off its best season in program history. The Nittany Lions made the Frozen Four for the first time, and major donor and Penn State alum Terry Pegula has happily thrown money around to make Penn State a hockey hotbed.

He’s already done that so far, with last season's Frozen Four, and bringing in 2025 first rounder Jackson Smith, Luke Misa and Charlie Cerrato.

But with the rising salary cap in the NHL could money be a driving factor for a player who’s potentially going to make millions already? Nothing in life is guaranteed, but one way or another, he would still make a hefty sum just by his profile alone.

An entry-level contract is typically worth up to $3 million, but with said rising cap, that’s likely to expand.

Another reason to sign with Penn State is the ability to be the centerpiece of a program that has needed one.

There hasn’t been a legit NHL player to come out of Happy Valley, and the alum with most games played is Brett Murray who has only played 26 career games at the NHL level.

Whatever happens either program is going to be just fine either way.

Without McKenna, Michigan State is still a perennial championship contender and Penn State still has the talent to make it to another Frozen Four.

But McKenna is the one piece that separates the men from the boys.

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