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

[Artorius Horus T]

Tigers had 4-0 lead at home, lost 4-5 in OT 2...

 

[Bubbles]

Just seconds into the game!

 

[Artorius Horus T]

2+2 for 2 games, good start, but, much to improve, but also, good to build on.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

2 more points, Tigers though loses 3-4OT

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Im thinking more of 2.50 ppg and up, as, 2.50 as the base.
- i don't think many realize what kind of roster Gavin is gonna get
surrounded with, his PP stats are gonna look ridiculous

In a best scenario, Tigers players might go 1, 2, 3 in the 2026 Draft
yes, i think the Ruck twins are that good.

what they can and can't do in the WHL this season, i don't think reflects
much to their seasons to come, they will be 100% ready to the WHL
when the next season starts, then their real stuff will show up.

Uhhh...you're using the 2 best offensive seasons by an u18 player in league history (50+ years) as a base ?!!! I like his game too, but using 2 ppg seems a lot more reasonable to me.

 

[JPeeper]

Having not read all 20+ pages, how hyped should we be about McKenna? He seems like he is going to put up monster numbers next year and it's still just his D-1 year.

 

[macbowes]

Having not read all 20+ pages, how hyped should we be about McKenna? He seems like he is going to put up monster numbers next year and it's still just his D-1 year.

I think he has the NHL potential to be an elite 1W and franchise cornerstone who can drive play from the W, run a top-5 PP in the NHL, play a sound two-way game where he has many more takeaways than giveaways, and regularly contend for the Art Ross at his best.

 

[CybershadeEDM]

Is McKenna an obvious choice for 1st Overall in 2026?

 

[WarriorofTime]

Is McKenna an obvious choice for 1st Overall in 2026?

Yes, but it's early, most of that group has not played Juniors yet (that draft is late 07s and early 08s, and only the late 07s are in Junior leagues so far). He has all the pedigree one would expect of a future 1st overall though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Is McKenna an obvious choice for 1st Overall in 2026?

Obvious? No.

Is he probably the favorite? Yes, but it's too early for anyone to have a good idea about 1st overall in 2026.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Okay, so this is another stupid question but, if McKenna didn't get the whatever status,
why was he able to play about 50 (45) games total, as 14 & 15 year old in the WHL?.

24.9.22 - 10.12.22 (14 year old : 8 games)
07.01.23 - 25.3.23 & 22.9 - 16.12.23 (15 year old : 37 games)

Where as, Bedard was given the status, he played 15 games as a 15 year old...
was probably because covid thing?, but his 15 year old season was the 20-21 season

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Okay, so this is another stupid question but, if McKenna didn't get the whatever status,
why was he able to play about 50 (45) games total, as 14 & 15 year old in the WHL?.

24.9.22 - 10.12.22 (14 year old : 8 games)
07.01.23 - 25.3.23 & 22.9 - 16.12.23 (15 year old : 37 games)

Where as, Bedard was given the status, he played 15 games as a 15 year old...
was probably because covid thing?, but his 15 year old season was the 20-21 season

It goes by birthyear in the CHL regarding ES so every game he played this year at age 15 was considered his 16 year old season, because he was 16 before Jan1.

Lots of late birthday players are able to play full time while they are still 15, they just need to turn 16 before Jan 1 to be eligible to play in the league full time.

Bedard had a bubble 15 year old season because of Covid that was like 20 games total and he even left that early to go play for Canada at the u18 worlds. Age at the time of the games is irrelevant, draft year is irrelevant, regarding ES only birth year matters. I think someone has explained this to you before...but this is what the rules are.

McKenna played some as an AP at 15 (WHL allows 15 year olds to play 5 games and then join the team when their season is finished) which is why he didn't play the entire seasons, and Bedard indeed had so few games in his ES year because of Covid..

 

[Bubbles]

Named to the U18 squad. Also, McKenna wins 2024 APTN Bryan Trottier Most Valuable Player Award. McKenna, a member of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, is the first junior hockey player to earn the award.

 

[macbowes]

Looking fantastic in today's game against SWE. Amazing processing and vision, coupled with elite hands. He's incredibly deceptive with the puck. Stands out significantly amongst top competition two years older than him. Truly a special talent.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Looks unreal out there today

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

This kid is real gud.

 

[McMozesmadness]

His second goal was disgusting

The delay on the release… my god

 

[LaMasquerade]

Yesterday was the first time I saw this kid in action, and damn he looks good..

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This kid is real gud.

@Realgud, congrats on your success!

 

[Michoulicious]

Got laughed at last spring when I said McKenna looked better than Bedard at the same age.

Who's laughing now? Kid is unreal.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Got laughed at last spring when I said McKenna looked better than Bedard at the same age.

Who's laughing now? Kid is unreal.

Bédard was still a better player than McKenna at 16 but he looked unreal yesterday, his skating stride mechanics are a bit strange but his hands are if not the best very close to the best hands I’ve seen in any prospect (2012 onwards roughly)

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Got laughed at last spring when I said McKenna looked better than Bedard at the same age.

Who's laughing now? Kid is unreal.

It's still very debatable , personally I don't think he has quite the upside of Bedard but he still has superstar potential

Keep in mind bedard averaged 2 ppg at this tournament when he was 8 months younger than McKenna is now

 

[LeProspector]

Got laughed at last spring when I said McKenna looked better than Bedard at the same age.

Who's laughing now? Kid is unreal.

I’m still laughing at you about that comment LMAOOOO

 

[Artorius Horus T]

It's still very debatable , personally I don't think he has quite the upside of Bedard but he still has superstar potential

Keep in mind bedard averaged 2 ppg at this tournament when he was 8 months younger than McKenna is now

opinions, there are always at least two.


i see Bedard almost as a proverbial one trick pony, very very skilled pony, but McKenna i see as all around player.
i see Bedard similar with Jack Hughes, in tier/level

McKenna vs Bedard: better skater, higher hockey IQ, better hands, plays 200 foot game, always on top of things, always thinking,
sees the ice so well, even at full speed,

i see him as combo of these 3 players; Crosby, MacKinnon and McDavid, as in, he has traits of all 3 players,
not as good at of any of the 3, with their abilities, but having all of those abilities, makes him the most dangerous prospect
that i have ever seen, dangerous in terms of constant scoring threat (goals, assists), 200 ft game, two-way threat, speed, hockey sense, etc. etc.

also, he lacks of the weaknesses what the trio, individually has

aaaaaand Bedard is 5 foot 10ish, where as McKenna is 6 foot 1, sure, i don't like when people diminish smaller players but
when you are taller that much, you have an advantage, just facts, even if i don't like it.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Bedard’s shot is probably similar to McKenna’s playmaking/hands. I think both are potential top 2/3 in the world tools eventually.

McKenna is slightly taller and a slightly better skater. Bedard plays the more valuable position. The other thing in Bedard’s favor is he’s ES and was anointed early on. If it’s close, that will always give him an advantage when it comes to perception.

I think they are very close, but Bedard is probably viewed as a little ahead at the same age.