Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Gavin McKenna was widely expected to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft when he headed into his first season as a member of Penn State’s hockey team. However, things have taken quite a turn after he was charged with a felony over what has been positioned as a pretty brutal assault at a bar following the team’s outdoor game last weekend.
A very significant chunk of the most promising NHL prospects have honed their skills in junior leagues in Canada before making the leap to the big time. However, that has started to change in the NIL Era, and last year, Penn State staged a bit of a coup when it used a deal that was reportedly worth $700,000 to land Gavin McKenna.
McKenna is the latest line of supposed “generational talents” poised to take the NHL by storm, and the Yukon native cemented himself as a rising superstar during three standout seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL before taking his talents to Happy Valley to make his debut with the Nittany Lions this season.
The 18-year-old freshman is currently tied for the most points on his team at 32 (he has 11 goals and 21 assists). He also sits in 10th place in the NCAA when it comes to points per game, and his contributions have helped a Penn State squad that’s ranked at #6 in the country post an 18-8 record.
However, there are now some questions about his immediate and long-term future due to an incident that transpired in the wake of a loss to Michigan State.
Penn State star Gavin McKenna was hit with multiple charges after allegedly punching someone at a bar near campus
On Sunday, Penn State hosted Michigan State in an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, and the Nittany Lions were unable to avenge a 6-3 loss to the Spartans the previous night while falling 5-4 in overtime.
Onward State was the first to report on what transpired shortly after the contest concluded, as a police report that was filed at 10:35 P.M on Saturday night says McKenna was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault (one that “attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference) along with misdemeanor simple assault and two citations for harassment and disorderly conduct.
The specifics of that altercation are still blurry, but multiple outlets and insiders say the incident transpired at Doggie’s Pub and stemmed from someone who was verbally harassing a member of McKenna’s family (reportedly his mother), which led to a confrontation that got physical.
According to ABC27, the unidentified 21-year-old male victim was barely able to speak and required treatment for a broken jaw that was wired shut as a result of the two punches witnesses say McKenna threw while also knocking out at least one of his teeth.
McKenna was formally charged on Wednesday night and released on $20,000 bail ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for February 11th. He faces up to 20 years in prison if he’s found guilty, although it is very, very hard to imagine he’ll serve anything close to that as a first-time offender with plenty of legal resources at his disposal.
A spokesperson for Penn State released a statement after the news broke, saying:
“We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment.”
He has at least one notable name in his corner, as former Penn State linebacker and current Giant Abdul Carter voiced his support for McKenna while posting a picture of his jersey.
His team won’t be returning to the ice until they head to Michigan for back-to-back showdowns in Ann Arbor starting on February 13th, but we’ll have to wait and see if he’ll be making the trip with them.