F Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (2026 Draft)

[wetcoast]

If Special means barely a top 10 player in his birth year than yes he is special

He is definitely in the mix for #1 in 26 already and has the body, skillset and work effort to be a very special prospect your take sounds like you don't know much about him or the competition really.

 

[Bubbles]

3A tonight.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

6 points in his last 2 games.

 

[Mathieukferland]

If he can bulk up and improve his shot (which is a bit of a muffin) he can go right to the very top, his vision, hands, and smooth skating are unreal

 

[Artorius Horus T]

If he can bulk up and improve his shot (which is a bit of a muffin) he can go right to the very top, his vision, hands, and smooth skating are unreal

strange thing to say. i highly disagree with you

100% 1st overall of the 2026
kids a franchise level prospect

 

[Mathieukferland]

strange thing to say. i highly disagree with you

100% 1st overall of the 2026
kids a franchise level prospect

I don’t disagree either, but that’s the element of his game he most needs to improve, i dont see why that would be considered strange

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

strange thing to say. i highly disagree with you

100% 1st overall of the 2026
kids a franchise level prospect

Pay attention to three usual factors :

players born in 2007 are better known than players born in 2008

forwards are better known than defenders

Canadians are better known than Americans and Russians.

He sets the bar high but Wright had set the bar high in his U16 season.

 

[Bubbles]

If he can bulk up and improve his shot (which is a bit of a muffin) he can go right to the very top, his vision, hands, and smooth skating are unreal

Yes, that's his weakness now. Everything else is pretty elite.

 

[Bubbles]

2G, 1A tonight. Looks like he picked up some shooting tips from his cousin Connor, because that shot is way better than I've seen previously.

 

[Andre Palot]

Gavin McKenna sounds like a golf superstar or a bad boy singer in a rock group.

 

[Mathieukferland]

2G, 1A tonight. Looks like he picked up some shooting tips from his cousin Connor, because that shot is way better than I've seen previously.

Scoresheet had him down for 3G 1A? Didn’t watch just checked the box score

 

[Bubbles]

Scoresheet had him down for 3G 1A? Didn’t watch just checked the box score

He scored the OT winner after my post. Another wrister from the slot.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Could this guy break J-Bo's record for youngest Canadian to play at the WJC?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

last 5 games, 4 goals, 11 points. (2.20 ppg)
25 shots on goal

oh yeah and the kid is 15 years old...

 

[Mathieukferland]

Could this guy break J-Bo's record for youngest Canadian to play at the WJC?

No, we will see what will happen with Benson and Danielson, but the forward group is pretty stacked this year so I would lean towards him not being good enough. As in the fact he’s a d-2 and I don’t believe Canada has ever taken a d-2 to the world juniors; at this rate I certainly believe he will play two tournaments prior to be drafted though, he has surpassed my expectations

 

[Artorius Horus T]

No, we will see what will happen with Benson and Danielson, but the forward group is pretty stacked this year so I would lean towards him not being good enough. As in the fact he’s a d-2 and I don’t believe Canada has ever taken a d-2 to the world juniors; at this rate I certainly believe he will play two tournaments prior to be drafted though, he has surpassed my expectations

Pretty huge statement/opinion

If he is not selected, i think it comes to policy of Hockey Canada over nothing else.
not being good enough is not the reason.

-----

If he continues at this production rate, Canadian Ice Hockey Federation
needs to wake up and smell the coffee, also whom ever be the coaches,
put him to a top 6 position, stupid to select him and give him nothing ice time

 

[LeProspector]

Pretty huge statement/opinion

If he is not selected, i think it comes to policy of Hockey Canada over nothing else.
not being good enough is not the reason.

-----

If he continues at this production rate, Canadian Ice Hockey Federation
needs to wake up and smell the coffee, also whom ever be the coaches,
put him to a top 6 position, stupid to select him and give him nothing ice time

He wasn’t even selected for the Hlinka team which is a u-18 program.

What makes you think 6 months later he makes the u-20 team?

You love to make outlandish statements like this, and you’re usually wrong,

 

[Gold Standard]

No, we will see what will happen with Benson and Danielson, but the forward group is pretty stacked this year so I would lean towards him not being good enough. As in the fact he’s a d-2 and I don’t believe Canada has ever taken a d-2 to the world juniors; at this rate I certainly believe he will play two tournaments prior to be drafted though, he has surpassed my expectations

I really wish people stop using the NHL Sept. 15 draft deadline when referencing international age level tournaments. They have absolutely nothing to do with one another. By the time the puck drop on this year's tournament Gavin McKenna will be 16 years old. Are you telling me no 16 year old has ever played for Team Canada in the history of the U20 tournament? There have been a few.

But, now that I have clarified that, I agree with you that Gavin McKenna does not play for Team Canada at this year's tournament.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What are his strengths, weaknesses, and how about a player comparison ?

@landy92mack29 @Bubbles @GermanSpitfire @Mathieukferland

 

[Mathieukferland]

What are his strengths, weaknesses, and how about a player comparison ?

@landy92mack29 @Bubbles @GermanSpitfire @Mathieukferland

Strengths- vision, hands, agolity, speed
Weaknesses- shot, board battles, physicality, defensive play

Player comparison: hmmm I want to say what Drouin was when he was playing Halifax but he turned out awful in the NHL; maybe Artemi Panarine/Jonathan Huberdeau for a pro comparison? I still don’t believe he’s a franchise level player more so first line elite but he’s impressed so far this season

 

[Bubbles]

What are his strengths, weaknesses, and how about a player comparison ?

@landy92mack29 @Bubbles @GermanSpitfire @Mathieukferland

Strengths: Elite vision, he will always be trying to find the open man, often passing through several players. His speed is elite but doesn't always use it to beat people. Runs a PP like an NHL pro.

Weaknesses: Sometimes still tries to beat the entire team himself instead of making a simple pass. Needs to get stronger to win puck battles. His shot was weak but it's been much better this year.

He's a pass first, LW. I haven't seen him at centre and it's unlikely he'll ever play at that position. Left handed version of Panarin is a decent comparable. The way he moves around the ice kind of reminds me of Kyle Connor (without the shoot first mentality)

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

No, we will see what will happen with Benson and Danielson, but the forward group is pretty stacked this year so I would lean towards him not being good enough. As in the fact he’s a d-2 and I don’t believe Canada has ever taken a d-2 to the world juniors; at this rate I certainly believe he will play two tournaments prior to be drafted though, he has surpassed my expectations

J Bo was the only d-2 I know about hence why he is the youngest ever

 

[GermanSpitfire]

What are his strengths, weaknesses, and how about a player comparison ?

@landy92mack29 @Bubbles @GermanSpitfire @Mathieukferland

To piggyback off of what has already been said, his mind and how he thinks the game is elite, it’s why he has been able to come in at age 15/16 and put up point per game numbers. He is very deceptive with both his feet and posture and this causes defenders to think twice and their timing gets thrown off because of it…

Look at this goal here, he picks the puck off the wall from his teammate, head fakes to make the penalty killer believe it is going to the point, this gives himself the time and space needed to walk in, cause the defender in front of him to freeze up, thinking a shot is coming to the left only for him to use the defender as a screen and it allows him to do the Matthews/Bedard curl and shoot wrister that is getting more and more popular with kids these days.




Or on this play below - McKenna is anticipating a pass to the point if Calgary wins the loose puck battle in the corner, they do and do exactly what McKenna was hoping for - he misses the puck along the boards at first but strong stick and body positioning allows him to poke the puck off the stick of the defender on the point, past him and McKenna starts wheeling down the ice with the puck. He takes a look to his right and see’s one defender and one of his teammates - he realizes that the defender was going faster than his teammate so he slowed down, allowing for his teammate to catch-up where he set a pick on the defender and McKenna had an open, uncontested lane to the net where he found an opening on the goalie.


As for what he needs to work on, he isn’t the most engaged on the defensive side of the puck, like most 16 year olds he is always thinking offence. His IQ is fantastic so I suspect this won’t be an issue in the future, prospects as smart as him usually develop this part of the game as they mature.

He also needs to hit the gym, gain some muscle to become stronger on the puck. He is afraid of the corners like most skilled players and it’s something I’d like to see him improve on moving forward.

As for a player comparison? Dylan Larkin without the blazing speed.

 

[landy92mack29]

From the WHL his play style is pretty similar to Peyton Krebs but there's no one player who he's exactly like atm from what I've seen. Some Patrick Kane in his game, some RNH but not one obvious 1-for-1 comp.

 

[Lavar Ball]

To piggyback off of what has already been said, his mind and how he thinks the game is elite, it’s why he has been able to come in at age 15/16 and put up point per game numbers. He is very deceptive with both his feet and posture and this causes defenders to think twice and their timing gets thrown off because of it…

Look at this goal here, he picks the puck off the wall from his teammate, head fakes to make the penalty killer believe it is going to the point, this gives himself the time and space needed to walk in, cause the defender in front of him to freeze up, thinking a shot is coming to the left only for him to use the defender as a screen and it allows him to do the Matthews/Bedard curl and shoot wrister that is getting more and more popular with kids these days.




Or on this play below - McKenna is anticipating a pass to the point if Calgary wins the loose puck battle in the corner, they do and do exactly what McKenna was hoping for - he misses the puck along the boards at first but strong stick and body positioning allows him to poke the puck off the stick of the defender on the point, past him and McKenna starts wheeling down the ice with the puck. He takes a look to his right and see’s one defender and one of his teammates - he realizes that the defender was going faster than his teammate so he slowed down, allowing for his teammate to catch-up where he set a pick on the defender and McKenna had an open, uncontested lane to the net where he found an opening on the goalie.


As for what he needs to work on, he isn’t the most engaged on the defensive side of the puck, like most 16 year olds he is always thinking offence. His IQ is fantastic so I suspect this won’t be an issue in the future, prospects as smart as him usually develop this part of the game as they mature.

He also needs to hit the gym, gain some muscle to become stronger on the puck. He is afraid of the corners like most skilled players and it’s something I’d like to see him improve on moving forward.

As for a player comparison? Dylan Larkin without the blazing speed.

Thank you for this write-up GS - Excellent as usual