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Potential top 2026 NHL Draft pick Gavin McKenna charged with aggravated assault
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff
Ryan Pike
Feb 4, 2026, 19:31 ESTUpdated: Feb 4, 2026, 19:34 EST
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One of the top prospects for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft is facing four criminal charges followed an alleged incident over the weekend.
On Tuesday, four charges were filed in Magisterial District Court against Penn State University forward Gavin McKenna: aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct. The aggravated assault charge is a first-degree felony. The charges stem from an alleged incident that occurred on Sat., Jan. 31 following the Nittany Lions’ outdoor game at Beaver Stadium against the Michigan State Spartans – the Spartans won 5-4 in overtime.
Onward State, the student newspaper of Penn State University, was the first to break the news on Wednesday afternoon.
Here’s a snippet from their report:
State College police charged McKenna, 18, with felony aggravated assault that “attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference,” misdemeanor simple assault, and two summary offenses for disorderly conduct and harassment. If found guilty, McKenna faces up to 20 years in prison on the felony charge alone.
According to sources, the team had been at a downtown bar with friends and family following the outdoor game at Beaver Stadium. During the incident, McKenna allegedly assaulted an unidentified individual, leaving the victim with a broken jaw.
The charges have not been tested in court. A date for a preliminary hearing on these charges is still pending.
The 18-year-old McKenna is originally from Whitehorse, Yukon, and he’s in his freshman year at Penn State after joining the club following two standout seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers. He captured a bronze medal with Canada at the recent World Junior Championship, and amassed a ton of accolades during his tenure with the Tigers. He’s had some growing pains on the ice with Penn State, taking some time to adjust to the college game at 18. But he’s had success offensively, posting 11 goals and 32 points through 24 games with the Nittany Lions.
McKenna is considered one of the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, along with Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg, college blueliner Keaton Verhoeff and centre Tynan Lawrence. McKenna has been near the top of most prominent NHL Draft rankings this season.
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
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