Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Earlier this week, the hockey world was whipped into a frenzy after Penn State star and presumed No. 1 NHL draft pick Gavin McKenna was arrested for assault in State College. He was initially hit with a felony charge that characterized the incident as a pretty brutal one, but it does not appear he’ll be facing any serious punishment after prosecutors took a closer look at the evidence.
Prior to the start of the current NHL season, there was little doubt that Gavin McKenna was going to be selected by the team that secured the first overall pick in the draft by the time it wrapped up.
The 18-year-old cemented himself as one of the most electric young talents in hockey during his time in the WHL, and while most players of his caliber have traditionally honed their skills in Canada before making the leap to the pros, he was lured to Penn State with a lucrative NIL deal before making his debut with the Nittany Lions this season.
He has largely lived up to the hype as one of the top scorers for a team that’s currently ranked #6 in the country. However, things took an unexpected turn after they hosted Michigan State for an outdoor game last weekend, as McKenna was involved in an incident that led to him being charged with assault.
He was initially facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence, but that has been taken off the table a couple of days after he was officially booked.
Prosecutors will no longer pursue a felony assault charge against Gavin McKenna
On Wednesday, Onward State broke the news of McKenna’s arrest in connection to an altercation where he reportedly punched someone who was verbally harassing his mother at a bar where some members of the team gather in the wake of a 5-4 loss to Michigan State at Beaver Stadium on Sunday.
McKenna was hit with multiple charges, the most serious of which was for felony aggravated assault, which was characterized as one that “attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference.” That called to mind a mental image of a fairly brutal attack, and the fact that the victim needed surgery to treat the broken jaw they reportedly suffered didn’t do much to quell that speculation.
With that said, multiple witnesses told police McKenna punched the man two times and did not continue to engage when he fell to the ground. Investigators confirmed they had access to surveillance footage they could use to support that claim, although it has not been released to the public.
Now, WJAC reports the District Attorney’s office overseeing the case used that video to determine the altercation does not merit a charge for felony assault, as it was dropped on Friday in conjunction with a statement that said the evidence that was reviewed “does not support a conclusion that Gavin McKenna acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or with reckless indifference to the value of human life.”
The forward is still facing a charge for misdemeanor assault, and he was also cited for harassment and disorderly conduct. We’ll still have to wait for things to play out in court, but it seems very likely a fine and some community service are coming his way as opposed to any jail time.
There’s also no telling if this will impact his draft stock, but I’d be very surprised if it causes him to drop.