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

[LeProspector]

He’s a Taylor Hall level talent, not a McDavid.

 

[kyle44]

He looks pretty good. Expectations were excessive but let's see what he does in the games to come.

The expectations for some on this board are completely unrealistic. McKenna is a fantastic prospect, but to expect 3ppg in all international tournaments is flat out ridiculous. This is summer hockey: some kids will thrive and others will take a bit longer into the year to hit their stride. McKenna was coming off a full season of competitive hockey when he tore up the U-18.

I certainly expected him to lead this tournament in scoring (he still might), but I am not going to tone down the hype for him if he doesn't, just like I wasn't going to proclaim he is better than McDavid because of one otherworldly U-18.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I think he’ll be top 3 or 4 easily at the end of the tournament and could end up leading it, but I think that you’d probably have taken him over the field to lead the tournament in points and it will be an upset and potentially not a great look for him if he doesn’t.

Its basically irrelevant - short summer tournaments like this against some sub par competition, really anyone can go off and have a few 5 or 6 point games and lead the tournament, but its not really a major indicator of the future. Obviously you would want to see him do it, but its completely fine if he doesn't and has basically no impact on how he should be viewed going forward.

He’s a Taylor Hall level talent, not a McDavid.

people will take this as a slight but its not that far off - Hall was a slam dunk #1 for 2-3 years before he was drafted and projected to be one of the game's elite. Outside of his Hart trophy he's had a largely underwhelming career compared to expectations. Honestly the hype/expectations around Hall were not that different from someone like Celebrini (different position but similar impact)

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Its basically irrelevant - short summer tournaments like this against some sub par competition, really anyone can go off and have a few 5 or 6 point games and lead the tournament, but its not really a major indicator of the future. Obviously you would want to see him do it, but it’s completely fine if he doesn't and has basically no impact on how he should be viewed going forward.

I think that’s the unfortunate reality of the big spotlight. You are talked about as the next great player in the sport and the favorite to be 1OA in your draft? Every single big tournament will see a big spotlight. There are plenty of 2026 draft eligible that can score 5 points at this tournament and that’ll be looked at as a good tournament. Hagens had 5 points in his first U18’s playing as a 3C and played more like a 10 point effort but was very snakebit, and we heard for a year about how he had a weak tournament. It might not be fair or represent what these players are, but the expectations are there every time they suit up at these tournaments.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I think that’s the unfortunate reality of the big spotlight. You are talked about as the next great player in the sport and the favorite to be 1OA in your draft? Every single big tournament will see a big spotlight. There are plenty of 2026 draft eligible that can score 5 points at this tournament and that’ll be looked at as a good tournament. Hagens had 5 points in his first U18’s playing as a 3C and played more like a 10 point effort but was very snakebit, and we heard for a year about how he had a weak tournament. It might not be fair or represent what these players are, but the expectations are there every time they suit up at these tournaments.

Yeah, people will say all kinds of things but I'm just saying I think a lot of "the talk" when it comes to this type of thing isn't of any value. Let's say he put up 7 points against Swiss then he is suddenly the next McDavid again? I don't look at the highs or lows too much and more the full picture.

Would it be nice if he led the tournament in scoring? Sure, but its not "a bad look" (your words) if he doesn't. You're perpetuating that type of overreaction you were complaining about when you say those things.

Nobody cares if he leads this tournament in scoring if he puts up 120 points this year, or if he makes the WJC and plays well, etc, etc. Most people will in fact not even remember this tournament by the time he is in his draft year.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Yeah, people will say all kinds of things but I'm just saying I think a lot of "the talk" when it comes to this type of thing isn't of any value. Let's say he put up 7 points against Swiss then he is suddenly the next McDavid again? I don't look at the highs or lows too much and more the full picture.

Would it be nice if he led the tournament in scoring? Sure, but its not "a bad look" (your words) if he doesn't. You're perpetuating that type of overreaction you were complaining about when you say those things.

Nobody cares if he leads this tournament in scoring if he puts up 120 points this year, or if he makes the WJC and plays well, etc, etc. Most people will in fact not even remember this tournament by the time he is in his draft year.

Good points. I watched a lot of Bedard's DY and caught a lot of nights where he was merely good or even pedestrian compared to the media overhype. He still was dominant throughout the year and went 1, and very few (outside of hardcore Dub fans) remember those pedestrian nights.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah, people will say all kinds of things but I'm just saying I think a lot of "the talk" when it comes to this type of thing isn't of any value. Let's say he put up 7 points against Swiss then he is suddenly the next McDavid again? I don't look at the highs or lows too much and more the full picture.

Would it be nice if he led the tournament in scoring? Sure, but its not "a bad look" (your words) if he doesn't. You're perpetuating that type of overreaction you were complaining about when you say those things.

Nobody cares if he leads this tournament in scoring if he puts up 120 points this year, or if he makes the WJC and plays well, etc, etc. Most people will in fact not even remember this tournament by the time he is in his draft year.

Well, I'm saying that what might seem unfair on its face is just the expectation with these star prospects. It is expecting a lot, but I am not sure it is actually unfair, as long as you don't take it too far in the negative direction and extrapolate big conclusions from the occasional underperformance that happens for everyone. It is definitely true that this website loves to pile on when someone isn't at their best. I don't think anyone is suggesting that there's anything wrong with McKenna, but I don't see what's wrong with saying it's not the best look for him if he doesn't play like the best player at this tournament. I think that's probably his expectation too and he will look back on this tournament as he didn't play well if he doesn't up his play significantly the next two games.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I think he's still the best talent/player at the tournament, he's just not performing like it. Not asserting himself off the jump to start the past two games, floating away from the puck a bit. When he gets the puck, he shows his dynamism. I really don't think that highly of most of Team Canada outside of him, Schmidt, Schaefer, (and Ivankovic, but he's a goalie).

 

[Mathieukferland]

Well, I'm saying that what might seem unfair on its face is just the expectation with these star prospects. It is expecting a lot, but I am not sure it is actually unfair, as long as you don't take it too far in the negative direction and extrapolate big conclusions from the occasional underperformance that happens for everyone. It is definitely true that this website loves to pile on when someone isn't at their best. I don't think anyone is suggesting that there's anything wrong with McKenna, but I don't see what's wrong with saying it's not the best look for him if he doesn't play like the best player at this tournament. I think that's probably his expectation too and he will look back on this tournament as he didn't play well if he doesn't up his play significantly the next two games.

I think for me if you’ve proved yourself at an age group or even a superior age group, which McKenna has (U18 in the spring vs u17 right now), I don’t put too much stock into the fact he’s having a tame tournament by his standards. That’s my personal opinion but others may view it differently.

Connor Bédard had a very pedestrian u18 in 2022 after setting the record for a 15 year old u18 in 2021 and an amazing start to the cancelled world Junior in December 2022, and it didn’t really effect how anyone viewed him as a prospect, and Mckenna has nearly identical PPG to Bédard from the 2022 u18. He’s shown flashes of his well known brilliance, as bedard did at that 2022 u18, but in both cases they’ve not been as consistent as In prior tournaments

 

[wetcoast]

He’s a Taylor Hall level talent, not a McDavid.

He is almost certainly going to become a better and more accomplished NHL player than Hall and almost everyone is below McDavid.

 

[LeProspector]

He is almost certainly going to become a better and more accomplished NHL player than Hall and almost everyone is below McDavid.

So a first overall pick that won a hart trophy he is “certainly” going to accomplish more.

I like to be more reserved with prospects until closer to the draft personally but you do you.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

So a first overall pick that won a hart trophy he is “certainly” going to accomplish more.

I like to be more reserved with prospects until closer to the draft personally but you do you.

I mean he won a Hart in a really weak year. If we are looking back in 15 years and McKenna has a Hall like career, most likely minus the Hart....you are looking at a guy that had a lot of hype makes an impact in his early to mid 20's and fizzles fast enough to likely not reach the 1000 point mark. To me that would be a disappointing outcome for what I think even at face value is a better prospect then Hall was.

 

[Kshahdoo]

No chance now he'll beat Michkov's record, and Michkov was exactly the same age...

 

[Canuck Luck]

But generational comes from generation. A Generation spans every 10 years. That's not generational you are talking about.

how isnt it?

We had 3 in one generation (2000-20010), and none since. Now we may have 3 in the 2020-2030 generation. We have 2 more that weren't considered generation pre-draft but may be worth that status in the 2010-2020 era

you literally said since we had 3 in a short span we shouldnt have some for 10-15 years. 2005 to 2023 is 18 years between that. Now we may have 3 in a short span again and then who knows maybe we dont get one for another 20 years again ir we coulod get another one in 2030

there tends to be 2-3 per generation usually I'm not old enough to know the pre-draft hype on most of these guys but werent all these players considered generational?
90s had Lindros, Daigle, Berard (i think he was considered generational pre-draft), Thornton
80s had Nolan, Turgeon, Lemieux, Hawerchuk,
70s had Potvin, Lafleur, Dionne, Perreault

 

[frontsfan67]

I predict the kid gets 120 pts this year. Medicine Hat is loaded and he may be at the top of the team in points- the same team that Caden Lindstrom and Andrew Basha are on

Next year may be around what Bedard had his draft year. Gonna be a real big star.

 

[kyle44]

No chance now he'll beat Michkov's record, and Michkov was exactly the same age...

Who cares? McKenna also had 4 more points than Michkov did and led his team to the gold medal at the U-18 at the same age, which is better competition than the Hlinka. Neither proves much of anything in isolation.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Who cares? McKenna also had 4 more points than Michkov did and led his team to the gold medal at the U-18 at the same age, which is better competition than the Hlinka. Neither proves much of anything in isolation.

You mean at the tournament without Russia? And Michkov still scored 2 more goals...

 

[kyle44]

You mean at the tournament without Russia? And Michkov still scored 2 more goals...

Cool. Again, who cares? Go talk about it in the Michkov thread.

 

[LeProspector]

Cool. Again, who cares? Go talk about it in the Michkov thread.

I care, with the way people were hyping him up it seemed as if him breaking the record was the bare minimum.

To not even come remotely close is a major disappointment in my opinion.

 

[kyle44]

I care, with the way people were hyping him up it seemed as if him breaking the record was the bare minimum.

To not even come remotely close is a major disappointment in my opinion.

Good lord, man, that sounds like a you problem. This board is really something else. People over and under hype players drastically based on 5-6 games in the summer. If he never scored another point in this tournament and Canada loses tonight to the USA it will mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

 

[landy92mack29]

Good lord, man, that sounds like a you problem. This board is really something else. People over and under hype players drastically based on 5-6 games in the summer. If he never scored another point in this tournament and Canada loses tonight to the USA it will mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

but that's the only way box score scouts know if a player is good/bad lol.

I don't think McKenna has played near as good as he usually does but it's also a short tournament in August with mostly new teammates so not the most ideal situation to thrive. With that said though he does need to step up in the Medal rounds. They need to keep him and Schmidt apart though and instead have him always with Reschny who has been Canada's best forward imo.

 

[Mathieukferland]

They need to keep him and Schmidt apart though and instead have him always with Reschny who has been Canada's best forward imo.

Yes; I’ve noticed this since the beginning. McKenna has committed some unforced turnovers that would be his fault no matter who he is playing with, but him and Schmidt really do not gel at all playing together and look like they need to be play driving on separate lines. You could see the difference immediately when they pulled Brady Martin up for two shifts in the second, the line clicked much more. Don’t know why they went away from that, but to get the best out of their best player they should go back to it

 

[LeProspector]

Good lord, man, that sounds like a you problem. This board is really something else. People over and under hype players drastically based on 5-6 games in the summer. If he never scored another point in this tournament and Canada loses tonight to the USA it will mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

I’m sorry I’m not one of the many people on these boards who over hype a prospect and only talk positively about them.

I’m realistic when it comes to projecting talent, and I do say bad things about these players and people like you can’t take it as if I’m taking a shot at you.

He has been disappointing this tournament, don’t know why that’s controversial in your opinion.

 

[Just Linda]

I’m sorry I’m not one of the many people on these boards who over hype a prospect and only talk positively about them.

I’m realistic when it comes to projecting talent, and I do say bad things about these players and people like you can’t take it as if I’m taking a shot at you.

He has been disappointing this tournament, don’t know why that’s controversial in your opinion.

To be fair though, you don't really talk positively about any prospects. Very critical of everyone but never really impressed or optimistic.

 

[LeProspector]

To be fair though, you don't really talk positively about any prospects. Very critical of everyone but never really impressed or optimistic.

I think this is a fair point. I’m mostly non-vocal to the prospects that impress me.

But the ones that i feel are being unfairly hyped I’m extremely vocal.

Maybe it’s something I’ll try to improve on and share my opinion on more.