BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� For all the offense, leadership and star-power this season, coach Guy Gadowsky discovered yet another attribute in the celebrated forward鈥檚 talented arsenal.
And it involved ping-pong, of all things.
Having dominated most of his players in table tennis over the years, Gadowsky is still stung after meeting his match.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 fun because I was able to beat him on his recruiting trip. And then I beat him early in the season and quite regularly,鈥� Gadowsky recalled. 鈥淗e just kept on improving and improving and improving. And by the end of it, I think he probably has beaten me more than any other player.鈥�
As the projected No. 1 pick in the NHL draft in Buffalo on Friday night, McKenna has larger visions than ping-pong. Yet what , did in improving his paddle skills was eye-opening to Gadowsky in reflecting McKenna鈥檚 innate competitiveness.
鈥淗e has great confidence in his ability to figure things out and improve,鈥� he said, noting how it compared to McKenna’s ability to adapt against older and more physical players at the NCAA level. 鈥淗e very quickly became the best ping-pong player, and he very quickly became the best (hockey) player in the Big Ten at such a young age.”
McKenna finds his groove in 2nd half
It took the entire first half of the season for the 5-foot-11, 170-pound McKenna to adjust in making the jump from Canada’s Western Hockey League to college.
Driven by his own expectations and outside critics, McKenna found his groove upon returning to Penn State in January . He had 32 points in his final 17 games to finish tied for fourth in the nation with 51 (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 outings.
鈥淲hen you see yourself at the top since a young age, and then you start to see things in the media that I鈥檓 falling down, I think you get pretty fired up from it,鈥� McKenna said of his second-half surge.
鈥淚 got sick and tired of seeing it, just used it as fuel. I started working harder off the ice, on the ice,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think (the criticisms) will ever go away, but it鈥檚 something I鈥檒l carry with me forever. I learned that hard work is key to confidence.鈥�
On the draft radar since 2023-24
McKenna’s been pegged as his age group鈥檚 top talent since 2023-24, when he piled up 97 points in 61 games in his first full season with Medicine Hat. He followed with 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games the next year, 鈥� and announcing his decision on ESPN 鈥� in the wake of the .
McKenna did so by banking on himself and taking the more difficult path to show he can compete at a higher level.
鈥淚f he鈥檇 have gone back and played juniors, he鈥檇 have piled up the points, which is what we already know he can do,鈥� NHL Central Scouting chief Dan Marr said. 鈥淏ut now he鈥檚 shown he can adapt to the level of play, adapt to a different style of play. He just made himself more ready for the NHL.鈥�
Though Sweden forward Ivar Stenberg and U.S. defenseman Chase Reid have been mentioned as potential No. 1 picks, Marr said he wouldn鈥檛 bypass McKenna.
The chance to go first to Toronto
, and aren鈥檛 tipping their hand, though team executives have met several times with McKenna, including a visit to Whitehorse.
鈥淗e wants to win,鈥� Leafs director of amateur scouting Mark Leach said. 鈥淗e drags people into the fight if you will, not only in games but also in practice. Those are special people.鈥�
McKenna has the opportunity to be the second Yukoner selected in the first round, after family friend Dylan Cozens went No. 7 to Buffalo in 2019.
To develop his skills, McKenna left his hometown behind six years ago in a journey that鈥檚 featured and numerous stops. And now he is days away from potentially landing in one of the NHL’s premier markets.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no player that I鈥檝e been around that I would bet on to deal with that noise and spotlight more than Gavin because I鈥檝e seen him handle everything here,鈥� Gadowsky said.
McKenna welcomed the possibility of playing in Toronto, and living in a metropolis nearly 100 times the size of Whitehorse’s population of about 39,000.
鈥淚f I was a young kid telling myself this is where I鈥檇 be, that鈥檇 be a dream come true,鈥� McKenna said of speaking in front of a crowd of reporters at the NHL prospect combine earlier this month. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I鈥檓 very grateful for, and something I鈥檒l never take for granted.鈥�
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