Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
I don’t think it’s fair to use points when it comes to Eiserman. His goal totals have always been pretty elite.
F Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (2026 Draft)
- Thread starter Artorius Horus T
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TheBeastCoast
Registered User
I’m not trying to shit on Eiserman I think he is a very good prospect. I just think McKenna is in another tier of prospect.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
I don’t even like Eiserman that much. I’m just saying his goal scoring numbers have been absolutely through the roof and some of the best of a draft eligible the last 10 years. The difference between the two players is likely that McKenna is a better overall player, but I don’t think his numbers are that much better than Eiserman. Putting up numbers has never been a challenge for Eiserman. The questions are everything other than the numbers.
McKenna was briefly mentioned in an article on Celebrini published on NHL.com recently: Celebrini, likely No. 1 pick in 2024 NHL Draft, ‘competitive, unique kid’
From the article:
"It was at North Shore [Winter Club] where Celebrini was introduced to Billy Coupland, who coached Celebrini for six years at the club. Developing elite young talent wasn't new to Coupland, who previously mentored future NHL players Kyle Turris, Evander Kane, Kent Johnson and Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Coupland’s most recent protege, forward Gavin McKenna, is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft."
We don't know for sure what will happen in 2026, but it is rather astonishing that (potentially) 3 out of 4 #1 overall picks in a four year period trained and developed at the same place, with the same development staff.
From the article:
"It was at North Shore [Winter Club] where Celebrini was introduced to Billy Coupland, who coached Celebrini for six years at the club. Developing elite young talent wasn't new to Coupland, who previously mentored future NHL players Kyle Turris, Evander Kane, Kent Johnson and Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Coupland’s most recent protege, forward Gavin McKenna, is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft."
We don't know for sure what will happen in 2026, but it is rather astonishing that (potentially) 3 out of 4 #1 overall picks in a four year period trained and developed at the same place, with the same development staff.
Bubbles
Die Hard for Bedard 2023
Not exactly, McKenna went to RINK academy but these coaches get around, in mini-camps or specialized sessions.
Academy hockey dominates high end hockey development in Western Canada. At some point all these players are going to run into each other. There's some overlap with coaches from NSWC, BWC,, Delta Hockey Academy or RINK.
That's fair. 2 out of 4 spending their younger years at NSWC is still pretty interesting.
Western Canada + the Yukon is producing some amazing talent recently. The money that these parents pay for these programs is really quite something.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Mckenna had 20 points with 10 goals and 10 assists in 7 games as a 16 year old. Eiserman had 10 points with 9 goals and 1 assist in 7 games as a 17 year old. They just aren't playing in the same playground at this point. My only point was someone bringing up Eiserman being a bit of a faller as a reason it could happen to McKenna when McKenna is just at a different level of prospect to start with.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
But you are still using point totals. Eiserman should be compared to other goal scorers. He has some of the best goal numbers at all of these tournaments and settings of the last 10 years. Not saying McKenna isn’t better. I think he’s a lot better and his numbers might also be better, but I don’t think the big gap between the two is in who is putting up what numbers. It’s that you watch them play and McKenna is a machine and Eiserman is a floaty goal scorer.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Right but I was just bringing up Eiserman because someone else brought him up as an example first. I'm not trying to say they play the same style of game or anything.
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Not that it matters a whole lot to the debate from the last page, but at the combine EJ Emery was asked of all the players at the combine who gave him the most trouble, and he said McKenna (knowing that he wasn't there).
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Can't wait to see him tear it up in the World Junior and become a Canadian hero
Possibly but the Hat is just plain stacked with offensive talent next year with Mckenna, Lindstrom, Basha, Msric and the ruck brothers along with a couple of other good 16 and 17 year old forwards and Matt Ward coming over from swift current as an OA.
This is a team that should score well over 300 goals next season.
Mathieukferland
Registered User
Craig Button says he is ready to start calling him generational; I don’t agree but it is high praise for an extremely talented player
jj cale
Registered User
Buttons a bit quick to willingly use that term but he's got an audience he has to cater too.
Button is the master of hyperbole. It's the TSN way and the social media need for clicks that gets him to overhype every high end prospect.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
AD1066
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2011
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Pundits are two years removed from calling Bedard generational. At some point the term loses all meaning.
Malkin was the same year as Ovechkin, Crosby was 1 year after those 2... it happens
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True, but in this case I think we are looking at 2 franchise talents in Bedard / Mckenna, not generational.
He is, but McKenna is significantly better than McDavid was at the same age, so I don’t think it applies in this case.
Not really. Just because he's putting up more points doesn't mean he's better than McDavid. McDavid was the best skating prospect ever, and still is to this day. On top of that, he had insane processing, hands, and was 6'+. McKenna is probably just as good as McDavid was at distributing the puck, he processes offense at a similar level, and I think he is going to be a Kucherov level player, but to say he's as good, let alone better than McDavid, is outlandish to me. McKenna is among the very best prospects since McDavid, but I don't think he's better now than McDavid was. McDavid was unreal at 16.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Mathieukferland
Registered User
I though when he played his 14/15 year old season in the W he had a muffin, that appears no longer to be the case
He isn't better than Michkov was at the same age, though...
