For the first time in several months, I found myself really wrestling with my No. 1 overall ranking, and that’s because McKenna has addressed most of the concerns I’ve had about his overall game while launching his offensive impact into an entirely new level. In his last 10-game segment, McKenna produced 5G-13A, with 2G-4A coming on the power play.

He averaged over 24 minutes of ice time with the bulk of his shifts coming at even strength and with the man advantage. He very occasionally killed penalties. Over the segment McKenna’s rating was minus-2. He’s a dynamic offensive talent, but still has some growing to do defensively and it’s what continues to separate him and Stenberg at this stage of my process. 

On one hand, McKenna had one of the best outputs we’ve seen from a draft-eligible forward after registering 14 points in seven games. In fact, he had at least one point in every single game, including four in the bronze medal game. But scouts still saw a bit of what concerned them: primarily, a lack of 5-on-5 involvement and so-so effort levels away from the puck. That being said, he’s clearly the most skilled prospect in the 2026 draft, and he’s as electric as they come on the power play. I still like his upside more than most, but he has to find a way to impact shifts more consistently to become a true No. 1 prospect.