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

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wetcoast said:
Man that's too early to tell really but in a pinch right now I think one of Preston/ Roobroeck/Verhoeff have strong cases but there are probably 4 or 5 other guys who could emerge as we are far ways out still.

Belchetz and Reid from the OHL could really take off next year as well.
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Gonna disagree.

There will 100% be some type of challenge.

He’s a winger only and not particularly big or a great defensive player. He’s great at what he does, but his value is limited to scoring (the most important part of hockey).

Lafreniere was just as hyped and bigger and better defensively at that age, and even he faced some type of challenge from Byfield. There were some people who preferred a big player at a premium position who skated better.

Whether it’s Verhoeff or Reid or a center emerges, someone will at least be preferred by a minority of people. And potentially more than a minority of people.
 
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Pavel Buchnevich said:
Gonna disagree.

There will 100% be some type of challenge.
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I get that every year there is some pushback to the frontrunner,it's HF Boards 101 after all and sure someone will close the gap but the gap is so large right now and McKenna's skillset is so good that I highly doubt it but sure it might happen.
Pavel Buchnevich said:
He’s a winger only and not particularly big or a great defensive player. He’s great at what he does, but his value is limited to scoring (the most important part of hockey).

Lafreniere was just as hyped and bigger and better defensively at that age, and even he faced some type of challenge from Byfield. There were some people who preferred a big player at a premium position who skated better.

Whether it’s Verhoeff or Reid or a center emerges, someone will at least be preferred by a minority of people. And potentially more than a minority of people.
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I don't think the Laf example is the greatest but I always thought he was over rated as a prospect a little bit.

McKenna has flat out elite offensive processing and prowess are exceptionally good and the only thing really keeping him from being "generational" is that he doesn't have elite skating but he is by no means a poor skater.

Verhoff and Reid simply don't have that all around game yet to really compete with McKenna in 26 but who knows some players can really explode in their draft years.
 
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There's a small chance he actually catches Cristall tomorrow, and ties him to win the WHL (and CHL) scoring title. He needs 6 points to tie him. WHL doesn't use any tiebreakers for their awards, but if McKenna gets 6 points, he'll have done it in 1 fewer game than Cristall.

Big ask, but he's insane, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up 6 tomorrow.
 
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wetcoast said:
Man that's too early to tell really but in a pinch right now I think one of Preston/ Roobroeck/Verhoeff have strong cases but there are probably 4 or 5 other guys who could emerge as we are far ways out still.

Belchetz and Reid from the OHL could really take off next year as well.
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Viggo Bjorck should be a guy in the mix for top 3

Very very good scorer out of Sweden.

I predict Roobroeck goes 2nd

Top 5 for me as of now-

1 Mckenna
2 Roobroeck
3 Bjorck
4 Verhoeff
5 Belchetz but Preston could challenge (basing this off Belchetz having a big year next year with Greentree back and maybe Protas??)
 
frontsfan67 said:
Viggo Bjorck should be a guy in the mix for top 3

Very very good scorer out of Sweden.

I predict Roobroeck goes 2nd

Top 5 for me as of now-

1 Mckenna
2 Roobroeck
3 Bjorck
4 Verhoeff
5 Belchetz but Preston could challenge (basing this off Belchetz having a big year next year with Greentree back and maybe Protas??)
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Hard to say I was going to include Bjorck but he needs a little bit of growth but i think he has grown this year.

I wonder if all 3 of Djurgardens top draft guys for 25 stay there next season when he moves up?

Swedish fans, any info?
 
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Are there real sources suggesting he may go to the US next year? That would be terrible for Medicine Hat. The city has such a buzz around this kid. Filling out the new arena for the first time ever in the regular season (outside of the first ever game when it opened).
 
TheTradeIsOneForOne said:
Are there real sources suggesting he may go to the US next year? That would be terrible for Medicine Hat. The city has such a buzz around this kid. Filling out the new arena for the first time ever in the regular season (outside of the first ever game when it opened).
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It's certainly a possibility, but his agent has specifically said he hasn't talked to McKenna about anything regarding next year, so that's all we know. If I was setting a betting line right now, it'd be close to 50/50.
 
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TheTradeIsOneForOne said:
Are there real sources suggesting he may go to the US next year? That would be terrible for Medicine Hat. The city has such a buzz around this kid. Filling out the new arena for the first time ever in the regular season (outside of the first ever game when it opened).
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A lot of it is just talk I think.

McKenna would be stupid to go to a different league for his draft season after having so much success (so far) in the WHL
 
frontsfan67 said:
A lot of it is just talk I think.

McKenna would be stupid to go to a different league for his draft season after having so much success (so far) in the WHL
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You don't think his development would benefit in playing in a more competitive environment? 2.3 pts/game is absolute domination especially in a D-1 season.
 
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Jared Grayden said:
You don't think his development would benefit in playing in a more competitive environment? 2.3 pts/game is absolute domination especially in a D-1 season.
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It is domination but Crosby, McDavid, Bedard all 3 phenomenal CHL players and touted as “generational” from their draft year all stayed in the CHL for their whole careers and look at them now. Well aware they didn’t have the option but I think McKenna should absolutely come back.

Would be very foolish going to the NCAA which is a different league and you may have an off year like James Hagens and fall a bit

What happens if McKenna goes to the NCAA, slow start and then gets injured and is out for most of the year. Then some other kid who was 2/3/4 ranked is dominating doing even better than expected?

Meanwhile he can have some fun and dominate some more with a healthy Lindstrom next year, Ritchie will be 19, they got some real talented young guys who will take a leap and the team will be EXCELLENT. Try and win a memorial cup and dominate- doesn’t get much more fun than that.
 
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frontsfan67 said:
It is domination but Crosby, McDavid, Bedard all 3 phenomenal CHL players and touted as “generational” from their draft year all stayed in the CHL for their whole careers and look at them now. Well aware they didn’t have the option but I think McKenna should absolutely come back.

Would be very foolish going to the NCAA which is a different league and you may have an off year like James Hagens and fall a bit

What happens if McKenna goes to the NCAA, slow start and then gets injured and is out for most of the year. Then some other kid who was 2/3/4 ranked is dominating doing even better than expected?
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Injury could happen either way.

Assume he's healthy in both scenarios. I think he will tear it up either way. Benefit of NCAA is it exposes him to new style of hockey. Could argue that's better for his development & prep for NHL - has to learn to adapt quickly & dominate in a different environment
 
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frontsfan67 said:
It is domination but Crosby, McDavid, Bedard all 3 phenomenal CHL players and touted as “generational” from their draft year all stayed in the CHL for their whole careers and look at them now. Well aware they didn’t have the option but I think McKenna should absolutely come back.

Would be very foolish going to the NCAA which is a different league and you may have an off year like James Hagens and fall a bit

What happens if McKenna goes to the NCAA, slow start and then gets injured and is out for most of the year. Then some other kid who was 2/3/4 ranked is dominating doing even better than expected?

Meanwhile he can have some fun and dominate some more with a healthy Lindstrom next year, Ritchie will be 19, they got some real talented young guys who will take a leap and the team will be EXCELLENT. Try and win a memorial cup and dominate- doesn’t get much more fun than that.
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Is there tangible benefit to McKenna in being selected #1? He'll be selected early regardless of how his draft year goes. I would expect McKenna, along with every other generational prospect, to prioritize development optimization at the expense of staying in a comfort zone.
I'd argue Bedard definitely would have benefited from a more challenging playing environment in his draft year. Would likely now be better at getting into high danger areas offensively and more refined defensively.
 
HabzSauce said:
Injury could happen either way.

Assume he's healthy in both scenarios. I think he will tear it up either way. Benefit of NCAA is it exposes him to new style of hockey. Could argue that's better for his development & prep for NHL - has to learn to adapt quickly & dominate in a different environment
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He’s dominated every level he’s been in. He will be fine.
 
Jared Grayden said:
Is there tangible benefit to McKenna in being selected #1? He'll be selected early regardless of how his draft year goes. I would expect McKenna, along with every other generational prospect, to prioritize development optimization at the expense of staying in a comfort zone.
I'd argue Bedard definitely would have benefited from a more challenging playing environment in his draft year. Would likely now be better at getting into high danger areas offensively and more refined defensively.
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Like maybe momentarily he gets better but players of his caliber are going to be what they're going to be by the time they're 25 or so. Those years between like 18 and 22/23 the Blackhawks are still going to suck. Him not being at his peak right this very second doesn't matter.

Same thing with McKenna. Its just about surrounding these guys with the talent they need by the time they hit their prime. Where they play at for their draft year is just up to the player preference and nothing more. There is no long term benefit one way or the other.
 
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