Gavin McKenna, a young forward from Whitehorse, is poised to become Canada's next hockey star. He leads the WHL in scoring and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
Willie Desjardins has always cut an intense figure behind the bench. Every so often when he was guiding the Vancouver Canucks from 2014 through 2017, the razor-focused head coach would crack a smile at something Henrik and Daniel Sedin — a pair of future Hall of Famers — had pulled from their bag of tricks. Desjardins now experiences eerily similar moments watching Gavin McKenna from the same perch with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers.
And he expects Canadians will feel something along those lines when the baby-faced forward expected to go No. 1 at the 2026 NHL draft dons the red Maple Leaf at the world junior hockey championship. 'It was like, 'How do you do that stuff?'' Desjardins said of the Sedins.'You'll get that with Gavin … he'll make a play and you just have to laugh.' Set to turn 17 on Friday, the six-foot, 165-pound winger from Whitehorse leads the WHL in scoring with 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points across 30 games. McKenna still holds an eight-point edge in the race despite having already missed four contests while away with the men's under-20 national team. 'The first thing that sticks out is just how hard he is to defend,' Canadian centre and Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager said.'So quick and agile. Not the biggest guy, but super sneaky.' McKenna learned how to leverage his frame as a youngster against older players growing up in Yukon's capital as he searched for the best competition available. 'Knowing where to be at the right times,' he explained of the benefits.'You have to play with a little bit of caution. Playing against those older, bigger guys at such a young age, it gets you ready for this.' The world juniors and thoughts of an NHL career were distant dreams when McKenna was first carving up his hometown's frigid outdoor rinks. But fellow Whitehorse product Dylan Cozens, who won 2020 gold with Canada and now plays for the Buffalo Sabres, showed what was possibl
HOCKEY JUNIOR HOCKEY NHL CANADIANS WHL
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Gavin McKenna: Canada's Next World Junior StarGavin McKenna, a 17-year-old forward from Whitehorse, is poised to be a breakout star at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship. Known for his exceptional skill and playmaking ability, McKenna leads the WHL in scoring and is expected to be the top pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
Read more »
Making the grade: Canada unveils world junior roster featuring plenty of youthGavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
Read more »
Making the grade: Canada unveils world junior roster featuring plenty of youthGavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
Read more »
Making the grade: Canada unveils world junior roster featuring plenty of youthGavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.
Read more »
Canada will lean on young stars McKenna, Schaefer at World JuniorsGavin McKenna, who isn't eligible to be picked until the 2026 NHL draft, and Matthew Schaefer, who is a contender to be picked first overall in 2025, aren't just on Canada's World Junior team. They both project to play significant roles, Mark Masters writes.
Read more »
Gavin Creel Memorial Tribute to Be Livestreamed Next MondayA memorial tribute to Broadway star Gavin Creel is planned for next Monday, to be livestreamed online for U.S. and U.K. viewers starting at 4 p.m. EST (9 p.m. GMT). The Society of London Theatre will provide the stream for U.K. audiences. The following day, all of Broadway's marquees will dim in Creel's honor.
Read more »