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

[Pavel Buchnevich]

another one

What are we at now, 4 generational Canadian players since 2020? Then also 2 more coming with Dupont and Schultz? What a time for Canada!

Only Canada’s “very good yet not generational players” can receive this hype. It’s funny how you never hear them hype up players of this caliber from other nations.

 

[Garbageyuk]

another one

What are we at now, 4 generational Canadian players since 2020? Then also 2 more coming with Dupont and Schultz? What a time for Canada!

I heard Bedard get called generational by a loud minority, but it was never a popular narrative, from what I remember. I always saw him as a Patrick Kane level talent, and I think a lot of others did too. In the age of social media, sensationalist takes are much louder because everyone has a platform to say dumb shit, and controversial takes always get the most attention. Also people will bandwagon/meme certain takes simply because they’ve gone viral or gotten a lot of attention. Everyone is after views/clicks, and will say whatever to get more.

Who were the others since 2020?

 

[Starships]

I heard Bedard get called generational by a loud minority, but it was never a popular narrative, from what I remember. I always saw him as a Patrick Kane level talent, and I think a lot of others did too. In the age of social media, sensationalist takes are much louder because everyone has a platform to say dumb shit, and controversial takes always get the most attention. Also people will bandwagon/meme certain takes simply because they’ve gone viral or gotten a lot of attention. Everyone is after views/clicks, and will say whatever to get more.

Who were the others since 2020?

The only thing god forgot to bestow onto bedard was height, and that will always prevent him from reaching the gretzky/crosby/mcdavid/mario tier of players

Mckenna being 6'1 with better skating has a likelier chance for sure.

 

[Giant Panda]

The only thing god forgot to bestow onto bedard was height, and that will always prevent him from reaching the gretzky/crosby/mcdavid/mario tier of players

Mckenna being 6'1 with better skating has a likelier chance for sure.

That might have been the only thing God forgot to give him but that's far from the only reason why.

Bedard is a very static player, he's a great weapon without being the man to create the openings. He lacks that superstar quality of losing the man covering him, to be able to sneak into openings, to be able to confuse the opponent's coverage.

Its like the difference between Matthew Savoie and Cole Caufield. You'll never see Savoie alone on the ice without someone covering him but somehow Caufield always sneaks it in uncovered and never seems to get smothered.

If Bedard had that in his game, he'd be a true generational player.

McKenna has a lot more of it than Bedard ever did.

 

[Bubbles]

Just another 1G, 4A tonight. Kid's insane.

 

[cupface52]

Only Canada’s “very good yet not generational players” can receive this hype. It’s funny how you never hear them hype up players of this caliber from other nations.

Have you already forgotten the hype around Dahlin before he was drafted? He was called the best D prospect in 30+ years.

 

[macbowes]

McKenna's last 5 games:

 

[Garbageyuk]

McKenna's last 5 games:

View attachment 1003065

WTF.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

I know you’re being sarcastic but the media goes overboard with the term. I’ve been consistent myself and even if it doesn’t look good in hindsight that Bedard is the only generational prospect I’ve seen since McDavid, even if that hasn’t 100% materialised at the NHL level

If “generational” means once in a generation then there’s no way that Bedard is deserving of that adjective.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

Craig Button (he of draft list thread infamy) brings out the G word to describe McKenna. I disagree but will be interesting to see how the situation evolves over the next 2-3 years

Craig button brought out the G word for Seth Jones.

Fwiw I think mckenna is unbelievable, but Craig button is laughable

 

[Corso]

Craig button brought out the G word for Seth Jones.

Fwiw I think mckenna is unbelievable, but Craig button is laughable

McKenna is indeed a great player and Button loves clicks but the only g work for Mckenna is great and not generational.

 

[Plastic Joseph]

McKenna is indeed a great player and Button loves clicks but the only g work for Mckenna is great and not generational.

Yeah people really downplay the title .

I've been following the draft for 20 years and I've seen 2 - Crosby and McDavid.

IMO a generational talent steps into the nhl as a star, and by year 2 or 3 they are winning mvps . Crosby and Mcdavid both did that. Nobody else in the last 20 years come close.

Ovi is grey area because in that time Europeans had far less exposure from NA media , no youtube etc. He had a lot of hype, but I didn't get to see enough of him to be the judge. But his career speaks for itself

 

[Corso]

Yeah people really downplay the title .

I've been following the draft for 20 years and I've seen 2 - Crosby and McDavid.

IMO a generational talent steps into the nhl as a star, and by year 2 or 3 they are winning mvps . Crosby and Mcdavid both did that. Nobody else in the last 20 years come close.

Ovi is grey area because in that time Europeans had far less exposure from NA media , no youtube etc. He had a lot of hype, but I didn't get to see enough of him to be the judge. But his career speaks for itself

Ovi has cemented his status in the pantheon of greats and I daresay generational. The league was really lucky with both he and Crosby coming in so close to each other and from what I remember, the hype for both was over the top.

The league and we the fans were hoping for something similar with Eichel and McDavid and while Eichel has established himself as a good player, it just didn't turn out that way.

McKenna is going to be a very good player but he's not that and eventually the media is going to burn out the term generational.

 

[daver]

There's nothing like the smell of a meaningless "generational tag" debate in the morning.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Only Canada’s “very good yet not generational players” can receive this hype. It’s funny how you never hear them hype up players of this caliber from other nations.

Literally, objectively and factually wrong, and before you bring it up (because I know you will unless I preface this) I'm an American who has made his career out of defending this country so don't give me the "you must be a Canada homer" nonsense.

Your inferiority complex toward Canada is embarrassing. Please stop hijacking every prospect thread with this crap so that people can have real conversations.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Yeah people really downplay the title .

I've been following the draft for 20 years and I've seen 2 - Crosby and McDavid.

IMO a generational talent steps into the nhl as a star, and by year 2 or 3 they are winning mvps . Crosby and Mcdavid both did that. Nobody else in the last 20 years come close.

Ovi is grey area because in that time Europeans had far less exposure from NA media , no youtube etc. He had a lot of hype, but I didn't get to see enough of him to be the judge. But his career speaks for itself

Your standard is exactly how I view it as well. Ovechkin also had the disadvantage of missing what should have been his age 18/19 season due to the lockout.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Literally, objectively and factually wrong, and before you bring it up (because I know you will unless I preface this) I'm an American who has made his career out of defending this country so don't give me the "you must be a Canada homer" nonsense.

So then what is the truth?

Lafreniere, Bedard, now McKenna. All apparently generational.

Edit: Can’t forget Wright either. The generational tag died down when he started struggling to even dominate in the CHL, but it was talked about for at least his ES year and somewhat the year after when he didn’t play.

Your inferiority complex toward Canada is embarrassing. Please stop hijacking every prospect thread with this crap so that people can have real conversations.

I have no inferiority complex.

The Canadians share of NHL’ers declines every year. My nation’s share is rising.

Canadians just had their two worst WJC teams in forever. My team just won back to back for the first time.

Maybe you don’t follow hockey closely, but the trends suggest Canada’s declining and other nations are improving.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

So then what is the truth?

Lafreniere, Bedard, now McKenna. All apparently generational.

Edit: Can’t forget Wright either. The generational tag died down when he started struggling to even dominate in the CHL, but it was talked about for at least his ES year and somewhat the year after when he didn’t play.

I have no inferiority complex.

Seems like the issue is the media you consume. Curate your algo better where you’re not out here thinking that there’s 6 generational prospects in a single generation.

 

[WPGDEVILS]

So then what is the truth?

Lafreniere, Bedard, now McKenna. All apparently generational.

Edit: Can’t forget Wright either. The generational tag died down when he started struggling to even dominate in the CHL, but it was talked about for at least his ES year and somewhat the year after when he didn’t play.

I have no inferiority complex.

The Canadians share of NHL’ers declines every year. My nation’s share is rising.

Canadians just had their two worst WJC teams in forever. My team just won back to back for the first time.

Maybe you don’t follow hockey closely, but the trends suggest Canada’s declining and other nations are improving.

4 Nations clearly shows Canada owns the USA. Why use the juniors where all the USA top prospects aren’t good enough so they have to play college until they are 20 or 21?? Most good old Canadian Boys enter the college scene and out produce everyone as 17 years then leave to play the NHL. Instead of playing in world juniors the gold old Canadian boys are playing against grown men.

Canadas been declining and USA rising forever yet when it matters most the US can never win anything of value. Something about gold medal games just isn’t taught down south.

 

[Giant Panda]

So then what is the truth?

Lafreniere, Bedard, now McKenna. All apparently generational.

Edit: Can’t forget Wright either. The generational tag died down when he started struggling to even dominate in the CHL, but it was talked about for at least his ES year and somewhat the year after when he didn’t play.

I have no inferiority complex.

The Canadians share of NHL’ers declines every year. My nation’s share is rising.

Canadians just had their two worst WJC teams in forever. My team just won back to back for the first time.

Maybe you don’t follow hockey closely, but the trends suggest Canada’s declining and other nations are improving.

The view that Lafreniere was generational was never a majority opinion, it was only a small segment of online scouts who ever thought that (and few were reputable). In fact, it's

Lafreniere the surest thing in a most uncertain draft year - TSN.ca

Ninety-three players and seven honourable mentions - headlined by Rimouski's Alexis Lafreniere - make up TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie's final player ranking ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft.

www.tsn.ca

Wright, i remember him being seen as franchise level, I don't recall scouts ever saying generational. I remember a few saying he had potential to become, I don't remember anyone believing he was one.

Thread 'Was Shane Wright ever considered a Generational Talent?'

Jan 5, 2023

Shane Wright is not a generational talent, but I heard many rumours about him being one early on.
There is a reason why he was consensus number one until draft day, and his stats leading up to his draft year were extremely promising.

He's still a potential franchise player, but was he ever "it"?

• BlueBull
• Replies: 34
• Forum: Polls - (hockey-related only)

Bedard though... yeah, that was an overhype job. I still don't get it, he was never a generational talent.