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

[Mathieukferland]

The age difference is nothing major between them, same age, same league, thats a fact!

Also fact, McKenna is scoring more goals and points what Bedard did, in the same league.

Also, he is already taller now at 15 what Bedard is now at 17, though not that it matters to me but, just wanted to point that out.

I have read two experts speculate that
McKenna might be the next McDavid, so
he would be above Bedard level.

Also, braking the CWG point and goal record, is not a small feat, you can say all what you want about competition level,
but fact is, that he did it.

Scored 1 goal, 2 assists in his final game.

Bedard is built like a bodybuilder, the fact McKenna is taller is irrelevant because he is very slight. I still see bedard being the better player, mckenna could challenge for first in 2026 though

 

[Artorius Horus T]

9 points
8 points
5 points
2 points
3 points
3 points
‐------------
30 points (or 28 points, if you look at hockeycanada site ) in 6 games.

 

[BondraTime]

The age difference is nothing major between them, same age, same league, thats a fact!

Also fact, McKenna is scoring more goals and points what Bedard did, in the same league.

Also, he is already taller now at 15 what Bedard is now at 17, though not that it matters to me but, just wanted to point that out.

I have read two experts speculate that
McKenna might be the next McDavid, so
he would be above Bedard level.

Also, braking the CWG point and goal record, is not a small feat, you can say all what you want about competition level,
but fact is, that he did it.

Scored 1 goal, 2 assists in his final game.

It's not, no matter how many times you say it. You're just ignoring reality. How many points do you think Bedard scores in Midget the same year he put up 28 in 15 at the WHL and 14 in 7 at the U-18's?

McKenna is in his post WHL draft season, AKA his 15 year old season.

Bedard was in the WHL as soon as he was drafted. Never played a single game in Midget.

Here are both of their 14 year old seasons, the season where they were drafted into the WHL because they were both in the same aged season.

Bedard - Born 2005

2019-20

West Van Academy Prep

CSSHL U18

36gp

43g

41a

84p

32PIM

McKenna - Born 2007

2021-22

RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U18

CSSHL U18

35gp

23g

42a

65p

18PIM

Here are both of their 15 seasons

Bedard - Granted Exceptional Status

Regina Pats

WHL

15gp

12g

16a

28p

6PIM

9

Canada U18

WJC-18

7gp

7g

7a

14p

2PIM

12

McKenna - Not Granted Exceptional Status

2022-23

SAHA U18 Prep

CSSHL U18

25gp

36g

37a

73p

10PIM

Medicine Hat Tigers

WHL

11gp

0g

8a

8p

0PIM

1

 

[kyle44]

The age difference is nothing major between them, same age, same league, thats a fact!

Also fact, McKenna is scoring more goals and points what Bedard did, in the same league.

Also, he is already taller now at 15 what Bedard is now at 17, though not that it matters to me but, just wanted to point that out.

I have read two experts speculate that
McKenna might be the next McDavid, so
he would be above Bedard level.

Also, braking the CWG point and goal record, is not a small feat, you can say all what you want about competition level,
but fact is, that he did it.

Scored 1 goal, 2 assists in his final game.

Bedard's 14 year old CSSHL season was far better than McKenna's 14 year old season. Bedard didn't play a game of CSSHL hockey during his 15 year old season (McKenna's current year), he was putting up 2 ppg in the WHL.

The CWG point record is pretty irrelevant all things considered. The event happens every 4 years, so most top end Canadian talent doesn't even get a chance to participate. 4 of the top 5 all time scorers at this event never played an NHL game. This is because they played against the small provinces and territories and piled up points as has been pointed out extensively.

I'm Canadian, and I'm a fan of Bedard and McKenna and want both to succeed, but McKenna is simply not as good as Bedard or McDavid were at that age.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

The age difference is nothing major between them, same age, same league, thats a fact!

Also fact, McKenna is scoring more goals and points what Bedard did, in the same league.

Also, he is already taller now at 15 what Bedard is now at 17, though not that it matters to me but, just wanted to point that out.

I have read two experts speculate that
McKenna might be the next McDavid, so
he would be above Bedard level.

Also, braking the CWG point and goal record, is not a small feat, you can say all what you want about competition level,
but fact is, that he did it.

Scored 1 goal, 2 assists in his final game.

Holy crap you lack so much context it makes my brain hurt. You speak with so much confidence but what you’re saying is so wrong and misrepresented it’s crazy.

First off:
What McKenna is doing in the CSSHL this year is impressive, no doubt. But it can’t be compared to Bedard’s season because Bedard put up his totals as a U15 player, where as McKenna is a U16 player this season.

Here is what the U15 scoring leaders look like in the history of the CSSHL, if you notice, McKenna is listed here - but that was his LAST seasons totals and he falls JUST short of Bedard.

If you didn‘t know - when playing hockey in most countries growing up, you play with and against kids that are born in the same year as yourself - doesn’t matter if you were born in January or December, you play against kids born in the same year as yourself - so in McKenna’s case this would be with and against kids born in 2007.

I would just like to point out that there is some statistics you can compare at the same age and it is Bedard‘s and McKenna‘s WHL totals. But it doesn’t fit the narrative you‘re so convinced to push so not a peep about it from you.
Connor Bedard had 28 points in 15 games in the WHL at the same age McKenna’s has 8 points in 11 games.


As has been stated many times in this thread - McKenna was playing completion at the CWG that couldn’t hold his jockstrap - there is good reason why he put up the totals he did, McKenna is an Uber talented kid, playing in the worst division in the Canada Winter Games, against kids who will never see junior B. Honestly, If I would have been surprised if he didn’t break the record - if I knew what it was coming into the tournament.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

The age difference is nothing major between them, same age, same league, thats a fact!

Also fact, McKenna is scoring more goals and points what Bedard did, in the same league.

This is Mckenna's 15 year old season. Bedard was full time in the dub- covid year- at 15.
If you want to give him extra credit for being a very late b'day within his year that would make sense. He's a great prospect but you're the only one mentioning Mcdavid. I believe anybody else said it when i hear it out of their own mouths. It'll sure be fun when his thread is ruined by a 1000 people arguing about the term generational. HF ought to outright ban that word or least have it show up as ************ in any post.

EDIT- Damn some of you guys type fast lol

 

[Artorius Horus T]

29 points

 

[Artorius Horus T]

So, in 48 games so far this season
56 goals, 66 assists, 122 points.(2.60 ppg)
- CSSHL u18, Circle K Classic, CWG, WHL

Whats left?

CSSHL play-offs
WHL regular season (3 games)
Possible WHL play-offs
Possible WJC u18

 

[Skate2Stick]

Pretty cool his cousin is Connor Bedard.

 

[Bubbles]

Ron Maclean just gave him a shoutout, looks like he's getting some national attention early.

I assume he destroyed the CWG record for points.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Ron Maclean just gave him a shoutout, looks like he's getting some national attention early.

I assume he destroyed the CWG record for points.

He broke it , but only by a few pts I think. The old record was 27 I believe.

There's always that weak division and someone ends up shredding vs the territories

 

[Gold Standard]

Still waiting until he gets about 30 games in the DUB next season before making an assessment on where he ranks in the prospect pool.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

He broke it , but only by a few pts I think. The old record was 27 I believe.

There's always that weak division and someone ends up shredding vs the territories

indeed he broke it, now its 31 points, its was 29, but his 2 points what was removed from him
was given back

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Okay so, he DID play the final regular season game, scored a SH goal and added a primary apple
in a 3-4 loss, a game which they lead 2-0, but after McKenna tied it 3-3 with his shortie
their opponent scored the game winner late in 3rd.

26 games
37 goals
75 points
2.90 ppg

31 points (16+15) in the CWG
14 points (6+8) in the Circle K Classic
8 assists in the WHL

that's 59 goals, 69 assists, 128 points
2.67 ppg

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I know that these players faced better players but for some comparison in the canada winter games,
versus players that got to the finals and McKenna

McKenna - 31 points (6 games)
Guite - 11 points (6 games)
Baumuller - 10 points (6 games)
Moore - 9 points (5 games)
Lampron - 9 points (6 games)

Guite, Baumuller, Moore combined points couldn't even match McKenna's 31 point record

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

This is McKenna's 14 year old season. If it was his 15 year old season he would be in the WHL, with him being granted exceptional status and all. Yes he turned 15 midway through the season but from every past way you look at it this is his 14 year old season. That's how hockey calendars work.

The context needed for him vs Bedard is that McKenna was X many months older than Bedard.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

This is McKenna's 14 year old season. If it was his 15 year old season he would be in the WHL, with him being granted exceptional status and all. Yes he turned 15 midway through the season but from every past way you look at it this is his 14 year old season. That's how hockey calendars work.

The context needed for him vs Bedard is that McKenna was X many months older than Bedard.

It's his 15 yr old season. He wasn't granted exceptional status by the whl. If it was his 14 year old season he wouldn't have been drafted (whl) yet.

I'm not surprised random people on the internet can't figure it out, considering journalists working for cbc can't figure it out. Scroll to the correction at the bottom of this article if you want to see just how confused they still are: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prin...na-yukon-canada-games-hockey-phenom-1.6755718

 

[maroon 6]

Pretty cool his cousin is Connor Bedard.

Really?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

It's his 15 yr old season. He wasn't granted exceptional status by the whl. If it was his 14 year old season he wouldn't have been drafted (whl) yet.

I'm not surprised random people on the internet can't figure it out, considering journalists working for cbc can't figure it out. Scroll to the correction at the bottom of this article if you want to see just how confused they still are: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prin...na-yukon-canada-games-hockey-phenom-1.6755718

he turned 15 in late December, he has been 15 year old for just over 2 months.
its just a mathematical technicality really.

100% correct answer would be, you are both right.
its his 14 & 15 year old season, he will be 15 next season until late December, so that will be his 15 & 16 year old season

-----

He scored 6 points in 7 WHL games, as a 14 year old, 10 months and 20 days old,
where as Bedard for example, was exact 15 years and 8 months old when he scored his 7th point,
just 4 months shy of been 16 year old. Sure, McKenna just 1 month and 21 days shy of 15.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

he turned 15 in late December, he has been 15 year old for just over 2 months.
its just a mathematical technicality really.

100% correct answer would be, you are both right.
its his 14 & 15 year old season, he will be 15 next season until late December, so that will be his 15 & 16 year old season

-----

He scored 6 points in 7 WHL games, as a 14 year old, 10 months and 20 days old,
where as Bedard for example, was exact 15 years and 8 months old when he scored his 7th point,
just 4 months shy of been 16 year old. Sure, McKenna just 1 month and 21 days shy of 15.

Just come out and say it.

You think that McKenna is a better prospect than Bedard.

I want this on record.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

he turned 15 in late December, he has been 15 year old for just over 2 months.
its just a mathematical technicality really.

100% correct answer would be, you are both right.
its his 14 & 15 year old season, he will be 15 next season until late December, so that will be his 15 & 16 year old season

-----

He scored 6 points in 7 WHL games, as a 14 year old, 10 months and 20 days old,
where as Bedard for example, was exact 15 years and 8 months old when he scored his 7th point,
just 4 months shy of been 16 year old. Sure, McKenna just 1 month and 21 days shy of 15.

sigh....look George, that's just how minor hockey works in western canada. When you sign your kid up his age is determined by his year of birth. That's how it's determined whether he's in peewee, bantam, midget etc. before they get older and the best move on to junior. There's no need to overcomplicate things.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

sigh....look George, that's just how minor hockey works in western canada. When you sign your kid up his age is determined by his year of birth. That's how it's determined whether he's in peewee, bantam, midget etc. before they get older and the best move on to junior. There's no need to overcomplicate things.

Yeah, Jan 1 is arbitrary but that's how it goes, when you sign up for hockey your "age" is the age you will be on Jan 1. I understand that's he's D-3 and George could be saying that, but this is his "15 year old" season, not his 14. Next year he will be eligible to play in the whl as a regular 16, he won't need any exceptional status to play an entire year just like any other 07 born.

It's semantics, but it's nonsense to go around saying he's the same age bedard was when he played in the same league because it's just false, bedard was 14 the entire season that year. No matter where you draw the line it will benefit some and hurt others , but the line was drawn at Jan 1.

In fact, if Bedard went back and played another year of u18 there would've actually been a smaller age gap than there is now comparing the two seasons (7 months older vs 5 months) which would have been a more "fair" comparison. Instead he was almost 2ppg in the whl and destroying the u18 worlds.

Not to take anything away from McKenna, what he is doing is incredible and he could be a future star, he's just not having the season Bedard had at 15

 

[kyle44]

I know that these players faced better players but for some comparison in the canada winter games,
versus players that got to the finals and McKenna

McKenna - 31 points (6 games)
Guite - 11 points (6 games)
Baumuller - 10 points (6 games)
Moore - 9 points (5 games)
Lampron - 9 points (6 games)

Guite, Baumuller, Moore combined points couldn't even match McKenna's 31 point record

This literally means nothing. Guite, Baumuller and Moore didn't play Nunavut, Northwest Territories, PEI, NL (x2) and NB (the weakest teams in the tournament) for 6 games as has been explained on multiple, multiple occasions.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

This is McKenna's 14 year old season. If it was his 15 year old season he would be in the WHL, with him being granted exceptional status and all. Yes he turned 15 midway through the season but from every past way you look at it this is his 14 year old season. That's how hockey calendars work.

The context needed for him vs Bedard is that McKenna was X many months older than Bedard.

What? Next year he should need exceptional status then , right? If he is going to be 15 next year...oh wait, he will actually be 16 next year and eligible for the WHL the same as any other 07 born. I understand he is a late bday, but that's not how the cutoff works - he is 15 this year according to Hockey Canada, the CHL, the IIHF, and the calendar. Next year he will be eligible for the u17s, in 2 years he will not be. He will also age out of u18 competitions the same as any other 07, likewise for the u20.

If he was 14 now he would need ES next year, but he doesn't, the line has to be drawn somewhere and it was drawn at Jan 1 - its not fair to everyone but those are the rules, if you are 16 before Jan 1 you are eligible to play in the CHL full time, which McKenna will be next year.

What a player though, future star potential written all over him, so smart and skilled and he's a better skater than has been talked about. I wouldn't be the least bit shocked if he was the #1 pick in 3 years, although a lot can still change between now and then.

 

[BondraTime]

At this point, after being pointed out that many times, it's not ignorance, it's idiocy