- 2 days ago
The McKenna Project
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00:15The Yukon is a rugged, cold place that I think produces what would be the ideal hockey
00:26player. Tough, winterized. And a few years ago, someone said, there's this kid coming from
00:41the Yukon, who's 13 or 14 right now, who's going to be the next guy that we talk about.
00:50What's his name again? It's Gavin McKenna.
00:57We do romanticize hearing about the next guy who's coming.
01:06It gives us this feeling of comfort.
01:13And I watched a video of Gavin skating with his dad on his outdoor rink and thought automatically
01:20of the comparisons to Wayne and Walter Gretzky.
01:25It all adds to the lore of Gavin McKenna.
01:33At a very early age, Gavin McKenna was viewed as that next player.
01:41And this is where it becomes interesting.
01:44These phenoms arrive.
01:46With speed to check on the trailer.
01:47McKenna, what a move.
01:49Gavin McKenna, mastery.
01:51This might be the best prospect in legitimately a generation.
01:55Then we try to make the phenom out to be the anti-hero.
01:59All we have is what we've seen.
02:00And what we've seen is not enough.
02:02The cracks have shown.
02:03And in 2026, the world is screaming at you.
02:08Gavin McKenna is facing a felony aggravated assault and other charges.
02:13There's a lot of actors who are out here getting arrested.
02:15So nobody really knows.
02:16Right now, I feel like McKenna, his stocks are lower than they've ever been.
02:21When people are pumping you up, it feels pretty good.
02:24And when they're not, you know, sometimes it can get to you.
02:36But there's sacrifices you've got to make to go on my dream.
02:45I never had really a plan B.
03:08Good morning, Gavin.
03:08Morning.
03:09How you doing?
03:09How'd you sleep?
03:10Good.
03:10It was good.
03:11It was long.
03:11You had a good one?
03:12Yeah, it was really good.
03:13Yeah, it was really good.
03:14Okay.
03:14Come on in.
03:16When you walk around upstairs, there's blank walls on purpose.
03:19For a very first NHL star, for a very first NHL national championship.
03:24So why don't you know?
03:25Like, we've checked off everything we've got to do, except one thing.
03:29Yep.
03:30We're right on the cusp.
03:31For sure.
03:32One more dish would be helpful.
03:35Okay.
03:36Dry stall here.
03:37Gavin McKenna is the number one overall pick in the NHL draft right now.
03:43And the traditional NHL path for a Canadian kid, like Gavin McKenna, was that you would
03:48play in Canada in the CHL.
03:51You were either a CHL person or you were a college hockey person.
03:55One or the other, but not both.
03:58The 2025-2026 season is the first full year in which players who had played major junior
04:06hockey in Canada, the CHL, are now eligible to play in the NCAA.
04:11And this is the guts of campus.
04:12So Gavin McKenna, with this new reality and all these eyeballs on him, has to make a choice.
04:18The decision is, will he return to the WHL next season, or will he take advantage of this
04:24new path that is available to CHL players by going to the NCAA?
04:30Everybody wants him.
04:31Everybody wants him.
04:33The NCAA was like, we have to get this player.
04:36The reason why you fit Penn State so well is this.
04:39We are the best rush offense team in the nation, and you are the best rush offense player from
04:44the CHL.
04:45CHL was like, we have to keep this player.
04:48McKenna, Michigan attempt, and he scores!
04:51He did it again!
04:52Gavin McKenna!
04:53From a purely statistical standpoint, Gavin stands almost in a class of his own.
04:58The most productive player to come through the WHL in decades.
05:02McKenna!
05:02He scores!
05:03I mean, when you say the word dominance.
05:06Roll the highlight reel!
05:07He's the poster child for it.
05:08McKenna drive!
05:09Scores!
05:10Putting up multiple points a game in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
05:14The trailer, McKenna!
05:15What a move!
05:16Gavin McKenna!
05:17Mastery!
05:18Doing what he was doing one-on-one to guys.
05:21Highlight of the night!
05:23I've never seen that before.
05:25He put the kid in a blender.
05:26Gavin McKenna, this is the season a 17-year-old is having.
05:29A 40-game point streak, 100 points over that streak.
05:32I don't know that you could do this in a video game.
05:34We are not worthy for what we just saw.
05:37Well, the best players always went to the CHL.
05:39It's always been the best path for the pros.
05:42But the CHL, there's the age limit.
05:44It's 16-year-old, 17-year-old kids.
05:47So I think the advantage of the NCAA is you're playing against kids who are 24, sometimes 25 years old.
05:54You have all the resources.
05:55Think athletic training room on steroids.
05:59Hyperbaric chamber in this room.
06:01Hydro massage beds in here.
06:02As well as we're getting a red light therapy bed.
06:06And the NCAA has NIL deals.
06:09Name and likeness.
06:11Rumored that he's getting $700,000 to play down at Penn State.
06:15But Gavin is risking it all going to the NCAA.
06:19If he struggles, he's screwed.
06:21I mean, he could lose the top overall pick.
06:24Got some big news about talented young Gavin McKenna.
06:28He is making the decision to go the NCAA route.
06:32There's multiple things here that are crazy.
06:35The fact that the number one recruit in the world in hockey is going to play college.
06:40Holy shit.
06:42The money, I'm sure, factored into it.
06:45More resources is a good thing.
06:47So that did factor in a bit.
06:48But when you go first overall, there's certain dollar figures that go with that, right?
06:55If you're second, third, or fourth overall, you're not going to get those.
06:58My goal is to get drafted first overall.
07:01There's a lot of risk just in terms of my play and potentially losing that first overall spot.
07:09At the end of the day, it was a risk I was willing to take.
07:12And it was what's best for my development.
07:16He ultimately made that decision to get himself ready for the next step, which, of course, is the NHL.
07:27Even from a very, very young age, he just kind of knew, well, this is kind of what I got
07:31to do, right?
07:32Put the work boots on and, you know, here we go.
07:34And this is what I got to do.
07:40He was always with kids that were about two years older than him.
07:47Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
07:51He stayed with his own age group.
07:53That was just not, wouldn't be fair for anybody.
07:57Yeah.
08:08Gavin was being recruited quite heavily from a lot of different programs when he was 12.
08:14We ended up making the decision to bring Coffee Academy, and Kelowna was the place to go.
08:20Right before we left to Kelowna, he had fractured something on his hand.
08:26He had to get a cast, and he's not going to be able to play hockey for the next four
08:30weeks or so.
08:31And so that was hard.
08:33Four weeks later, they decide, okay, well, Gavin can skate with the team.
08:37But he's going to have a yellow shirt on and no checking and all that kind of stuff.
08:42That afternoon, we get a call from the coach.
08:45I got some bad news for you.
08:46He ended up colliding with one of the players and ended up breaking his other wrist.
08:51You know, the poor guy, he's 12 years old in this new surroundings.
08:55He's got two broken wrists on both hands.
08:59He could have called home and said, Mom, I miss you.
09:02I want to come home.
09:04Right?
09:05He didn't do that.
09:06So that, to me, just shows, okay, like, this kid has a goal, and he's got something he's going for.
09:13And, you know, that, to me, was like, okay, that kind of says it all.
09:19The greatest players always want to challenge themselves.
09:24He decided to take a chance and go to Penn State.
09:28To go to something out of his comfort zone.
09:32And say, now I want to show that I can dominate in NCAA hockey.
09:38And the only way that he can prove the decision was the right one is to play great and win.
09:53And you're in his shoes as the number one draft pick.
09:57You have to have an impact.
10:01So, before his first game, there was a buzz.
10:05What's about to happen here?
10:06And tonight, from Mullen Arena in the desert, here from Tempe, Arizona, the moment you all have been waiting for.
10:15The 2025-2026 Penn State hockey season begins, propelled by the highly-douted Gavin McKenna,
10:24the projected number one overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
10:30And up waiting for 72, Gavin McKenna.
10:36When I got called in the starting lineup, they were all booing.
10:39Didn't boo for anybody else.
10:41Booed for me.
10:42You know, pressure's a privilege.
10:43So, hearing those people boo me means I'm doing something right.
10:48Reese Law back centers.
10:50Gavin McKenna to his left.
10:51Aiden Fink to his right.
10:52Puck is dropped.
10:53Off we go.
10:55Out of the way, Gavin!
10:57Great shift.
10:58Great shift.
10:59Gavin, nice move.
11:01He is the youngest player that I think I have ever coached in college hockey.
11:05College hockey is very intense.
11:06Every time McKenna has touched the puck so far, he's here in the booze from the student section.
11:12Oh, my goodness!
11:15For a 17-year-old to come in with the buzz that surrounds him, it's been a lot more.
11:25But he handles all that so well.
11:29He does things that you haven't seen before.
11:33The only way I could explain, I just remember when I was a kid, I watched a video of a
11:39fly.
11:39How a human sees it is very quick.
11:46And how a fly sees it is it just seems very slow in that he sees everything.
11:51And that's how Gavin plays the game.
11:53Return to Serrano.
11:54Kept it in the zone.
11:55Starts between the circles.
11:56Feeds it, Fink.
11:57Let's it fly.
11:58He scores!
12:01Aiden Fink on the power play from Gavin McKenna!
12:05He is so good that when you watch it on video, sometimes you hit pause and you still don't
12:11know how he did it.
12:12Loose out front.
12:13Serrano backdoor.
12:13He scores!
12:15On a one-time snipe!
12:17And again, right from Gavin McKenna!
12:21Penn State comes from behind to win the season opener.
12:26On a bad start.
12:32His college debut, first thing that stood out was his poise.
12:37Having a beautiful assist on one of the goals.
12:39And I think it was the next night he ended up doing the forks down.
12:44Two minutes to go in the third.
12:45Minute 13 left in the power play.
12:48Far side.
12:50Gadowski across McKenna!
12:51What timer he scores!
12:53Gavin McKenna's first collegiate goal!
12:56He gives the crowd a forks down!
12:59I think he raised a lot of eyebrows with the way that he was able to step into NCAA hockey.
13:04That guy's a player, man.
13:06We all see the talent.
13:08But I think now the bigger question is, as the games get bigger, can Gavin handle it?
13:15Gavin!
13:15Gavin, please!
13:17Gavin, please!
13:20Because Gavin McKenna is expected to dominate.
13:48Tonight, for the first time, McKenna Mania is here at home.
13:58When Gavin McKenna arrives, it changes expectations.
14:03Let's go!
14:04Gavin McKenna first gets to say, I'm going to challenge myself and play against bigger, stronger, older, faster teams.
14:11He is such a special talent.
14:13Everybody is so excited to watch.
14:15Gavin McKenna!
14:19We have dropped the puck and we are underway.
14:22Clarkson in the green, Penn State in the home white.
14:25And a one-timer missed and Clarkson scores!
14:28Come on, boys!
14:29Come on, boys!
14:29Let's go!
14:30Clarkson, they're playing physical.
14:32They're hitting anything in a white sweater tonight.
14:36McKenna with an assist already tonight.
14:38And he's pushed off the puck by Sukovic.
14:41Going against those big guys.
14:4424-year-olds.
14:45Having those guys try to knock me off my game.
14:49That's a pretty big adjustment.
14:52They have a target, Penn State.
14:53And you've got to be ready for it.
14:55You've got to be ready for the physicality.
14:58Now Bottrell on the puck for Clarkson.
15:01Pass broken up, but Misseljevic finds it and scores!
15:05With the empty net, Barg holds, fires, and scores!
15:36I just want to put on weight.
15:38Hopefully by the end of the year, like 175 to 180, I'd say.
15:49Where are you now?
15:51171, I think.
15:53What were you when you came out?
15:55165.
15:57That's pretty good.
15:58I like that.
15:59We like to hear that.
16:00Mm-hmm.
16:08Tonight, this place is ready to rock.
16:12Penn State and Michigan, bitter rivals.
16:15Let's go!
16:17Get on it!
16:18With a team as skilled as Michigan, you need to protect the puck.
16:21Make sure you're not taking any risks at the offensive zone blue line.
16:26McKenna bananas back behind the goal.
16:28Swings and has some speed.
16:30He'll lug it to center.
16:31Jet to the Michigan line.
16:32Got Gavin McKenna into the attacking zone.
16:33Turns on the backhand.
16:34Lost it at the blue line.
16:36Back, back!
16:36Ernest into the Penn State.
16:37Don't got free!
16:38Short-handed opportunity!
16:40He scored!
16:42That type of odd man rush is exactly what we were just saying you want to avoid.
16:46Right?
16:46You want to be a little bit harder on the zone entry there if you're Gavin McKenna.
16:49Get us some full metal, boys.
16:50Get us some full metal.
16:52Go now!
16:52Go!
16:54Middle, middle, middle!
16:55A lot of traffic for Buffalo now.
16:57Front shot!
16:58Score!
16:59Come on, we got to get on it!
17:04Angle back line.
17:05Shot!
17:05Score!
17:06It was tipped right in front of Ray.
17:08They're top-shell home!
17:12We got to hunt two, boys!
17:15Come on, guys.
17:16Come on!
17:17You want to go get it back or not?
17:18Drop pass Ray on Mullin.
17:20He'll turn away from the pressuring McKenna.
17:23Feathers a pass.
17:24Near side, Robinson back hit.
17:26Far side, McKenney scores!
17:28Good shot.
17:31Michigan notches the extra point on top of the touchdown,
17:35and all the remaining fans in this building are pouring to the exits.
17:41I'm sick of this shit.
17:43We think we're all good at all.
17:45We got the best players.
17:46F*** that.
17:47Do what makes this program for Penn State.
17:50Put your head down and go to work.
17:52The guys that f***ing started this program, none of them were f***ing high recruits.
17:57None of them were f***ing draft picks.
17:59But they f***ing wanted to win.
18:02Penn State, not for themselves.
18:06It's not been as easy as it was in medicine hat for Gavin McKenna in the NCAA.
18:12He's racking up points, but he's not racking up points the way he did there.
18:17And for the first time, I think, probably ever for the young man, there have been some questions, murmurs from
18:26scouts.
18:27I think part of it is a teenage player under immense pressure with a top program, trying to figure out
18:33what his game and what his style of play looks like at that level.
18:37But the conversations are happening.
18:40What do we make of Gavin McKenna?
18:44This was the least engaged I've seen him.
18:49And it just looks like he's shying away from the tougher areas, the contact.
18:54Where's the effort?
18:55There are times where I just don't see him.
18:56He isn't quite dominating the college ranks, though, the way some people thought he would.
19:01He's not engaging with every play like he probably should.
19:03But there are games out there where it feels like he's more of a passenger and he's not driving the
19:07play.
19:07This projected top overall pick is supposed to be the best player to come out.
19:11He can disappear and he looks soft at points.
19:14Like, right now, I feel like McKenna, his stocks are lower than they've ever been.
19:21We're at the first time in the history of sports where your critics are literally living on a device in
19:30your pocket.
19:32And against this backdrop, you have teenagers trying to manage what voices they're listening to, whose opinions really matter.
19:43All these fans, you know, the hype.
19:46I was gripping my stick tight, not as confident, and it's tough to get out of.
19:55I just try and just block out that noise and play the game that you've played your whole life.
20:00I just try and just block out that noise.
20:23Oh, let's go, Gabby.
20:37Okay, let's go.
20:42Well, you talk about McKenna.
20:44What are your impressions so far of the freshman?
20:49I see Gavin as just, he's my son.
20:52I want him to be happy, of course.
20:53I want him to be successful in whatever he chooses to do,
20:56and we are there to support him.
20:57But, yeah, I don't like the pressure on him, necessarily.
21:03He's still a child.
21:04He's still learning.
21:05He's still growing.
21:06I think his skill is exceptionally off the chart,
21:11but it's going to take some time.
21:14It, like, annoys me a lot.
21:16He's literally just a kid.
21:18Like, he doesn't, like, need to be perfect all the time.
21:22Like, he's allowed to make mistakes.
21:24People don't know all the effort he's put in,
21:27all the hours he's put in.
21:30My mom heart is like, okay, are you okay?
21:32Are you talking to people?
21:33You know, you want his mental health to be good.
21:37That's the most important, right?
21:40If you have any issues, like, you know,
21:43we want him to know, like, we're here.
21:44If you need to come home, come home.
21:51Exciting to see you guys.
21:53Yeah.
21:55Good news.
21:56This year, it's kind of my first year
21:59where I've dealt with, like, backlash
22:01and criticism towards my game.
22:04Seeing all that stuff online,
22:07I think it's kind of hard to, like, avoid.
22:09It's just always all over your feet and stuff.
22:13Going through it by myself,
22:15living on my own and stuff,
22:17just, like, in a new place,
22:19I think it's been pretty crazy.
22:20But leaning on my family
22:22is kind of what I've learned is what helps me.
22:27Oh, there he is.
22:34Oh, my gosh.
22:36Welcome home.
22:37Welcome home.
22:56It's a bit of a reset.
22:58Getting to be with the family again,
23:00you know, I don't see them too often,
23:02so whatever chance I get to be home
23:05and be with them, it's, you know,
23:06we want to make the most out of it.
23:17This is what I love,
23:18getting out in the land
23:20and being with my family.
23:31This is, you know, what I grew up doing.
23:38You know, whether we were out camping
23:40or, you know, just out for a day trip,
23:42dirt biking or skidooing somewhere,
23:45that was, yeah, that was my childhood.
23:48Our family, being First Nation,
23:51being outdoors is super important to us.
23:57That's who we are as First Nations.
23:59We never live inside.
24:06We refer to ourselves as part of the land,
24:08part of the water.
24:12We spoke to the universe back before anything else was there.
24:16We connected to those stars.
24:26Everything had purpose.
24:29Every insect, every organism is important.
24:36We had that relationship through our spirituality.
24:42The core of our identity is built around community,
24:45built around the family dynamic,
24:47built around supporting each other
24:50to become who we're meant to be.
24:54Our history is built on who we are,
24:57but a lot of it hasn't been positive.
25:02We as community are suffering in a lot of cases
25:05because it's the extreme traumas
25:07that, you know, those elders have gone through.
25:11My grandpa, without him,
25:13I definitely wouldn't be here today.
25:17What he went through going to residential school,
25:20I can't even imagine.
25:23Starting in the 1880s
25:25and for much of the 20th century,
25:27more than 150,000 children
25:29from hundreds of indigenous communities
25:31across Canada
25:32were forcibly taken from their parents
25:34by the government
25:35and sent to what were called
25:37residential schools.
25:39Funded by the state
25:40and run by churches,
25:41they were designed to assimilate
25:43and Christianize indigenous children
25:45by ripping them from their parents,
25:47their culture,
25:48and their community.
25:50There was residential school.
25:52I went to that when I was 12 or 13.
25:58Being away at that age
25:59and not realizing what was going on,
26:02it was tough and horrible.
26:04Well, it was a Catholic school.
26:06And if you didn't pray for lunch and supper,
26:09you didn't get to eat.
26:10Which I didn't get to eat a lot.
26:12And that's the way it was.
26:13You couldn't speak your language
26:15if you did speak your language type of thing.
26:17It was totally ignored.
26:21You don't do that, period.
26:23And I watched all these kids
26:25that were abused.
26:27In the middle of the night,
26:29you'd see a flashlight coming
26:30and it'd be one of the night supervisors
26:32going to somebody's kids,
26:33taking the kids out.
26:36You know, that type of thing.
26:38Didn't realize what was going on
26:40until I got older
26:41and realized, you know,
26:43they were probably being sexually assaulted.
26:48Yeah, it was tough.
26:51It made me tough, for sure.
26:56Knowing he can go through all that stuff
26:58and still get to where he's at today,
27:01I can't take anything for granted.
27:03And if I got something going on in my life
27:05that's hard,
27:06I know it's nothing compared to
27:08what he's gone through.
27:09So it's been a huge motivator for me,
27:12especially when times are hard.
27:14Like, I remember I'm doing it
27:15for my family.
27:18Teach him how to make a fire, Grandpa.
27:25When you talk about the trauma
27:26and how that affected,
27:27like, I think it stopped with him.
27:29You know, Joe did a really, really good job
27:31of separating his family from that.
27:33You know, I'd like to thank Gavin
27:35saying that, you know,
27:36I share this responsibility
27:37not only to tell the story,
27:39but also the fact that
27:41I need to change the narrative
27:42for the betterment of our people going forward.
27:44We don't want to be looked upon
27:47as victims anymore in this country.
27:49So when I look at Gavin,
27:51a fresh face, so to speak,
27:52in regards to who's representing us,
27:54showing us, you know,
27:55the beautifulness of telling that story
27:56from a different light.
27:58I've got a lot of young supporting fans
28:00who are indigenous.
28:02You know, I know some people
28:03have doubts of themselves,
28:04and sometimes heritage
28:06can play a factor in that.
28:07So I just want to make sure
28:09that kids know,
28:11no matter who you are,
28:12where you come from,
28:13anything's possible.
28:13Well, just got to believe in yourself.
28:26Welcome to day one
28:28of the 50th World Junior Hockey Championship.
28:32The World Juniors,
28:33especially in Canada,
28:35is as if you rolled in
28:37March Madness in the U.S.
28:39with the college football bowl season,
28:41and then put a bunch of teenagers
28:43in the jersey of your national team
28:45and said,
28:46go win a gold medal.
28:49And this year,
28:50there is no bigger spotlight
28:52on any player at this event
28:54than there is on Gavin.
28:55From a media attention standpoint
28:57and from an NHL scout standpoint,
29:01I do think there has been
29:02a bit of a cooling
29:03on Gavin McKenna
29:04with NHL scouts.
29:05If he could dominate
29:07and lead Canada to gold.
29:09Good luck.
29:10Cap 5 boys.
29:10Yeah, let's go.
29:11Any question whether
29:12he'll be number one overall
29:14will be over and done.
29:15And Hage,
29:16with a step,
29:17throws it back in front
29:17to McKenna.
29:18McKenna wheels it back.
29:19Score!
29:20And once McKenna has space,
29:22he's brilliant.
29:23Spins, wheels.
29:25What a brilliant game
29:27for this tournament
29:28to kick off on.
29:30Michael Hage feeds that down,
29:31takes a return pass,
29:33slings it across.
29:34Score!
29:36McKenna shoots,
29:37score!
29:38There it is!
29:39McKenna calling for it,
29:41lead pass finds McKenna.
29:42In comes McKenna!
29:43Oh!
29:44He scores!
29:45And a trick
29:46for Gavin McKenna.
29:49That is preposterous.
29:52So much pressure on him
29:54in this tournament.
29:55We'll have to see him
29:56having fun scoring goals.
30:05Can you lock the car?
30:07Okay, let's go.
30:09We're off.
30:09Well, the team's winning,
30:10so that's the main thing.
30:11And he is tied for top
30:14in tournament scoring right now.
30:16So I think that's good
30:17for his confidence.
30:18And yeah, it's a big game.
30:20With all the extra media,
30:22it does add a little bit
30:23of extra stress, right?
30:26I just wonder about
30:26his mental health sometimes.
30:28He's so competitive, right?
30:30And he does have that pressure,
30:32so he does want to,
30:33he just always wants
30:34to be the best.
30:35But I mean,
30:35you can't always be the best.
30:36Knocked down by Hage,
30:37head out to McKenna.
30:39McKenna had a stick
30:39knock out of his hands.
30:42Now McKenna
30:43got it back up.
30:44Here's Benek,
30:45the other way for the checks.
30:47Feeds it,
30:47Edric Curry moving in.
30:48Curry with a chance.
30:49Three-bound,
30:50a loser from the scoreboard.
30:52The 1.14 to go.
30:54A chance for Chias
30:55with the empty net.
30:56Chias gets it up,
30:57correct.
30:58In comes Chias,
30:59shoots, scores!
31:00And the checks,
31:02once again,
31:03take down McKenna.
31:08McKenna will leave
31:10this World Junior Championship
31:11with a bronze three
31:12and a 6-3
31:14win of a final.
31:16Well, juniors,
31:17I didn't think
31:18I played bad at all.
31:20You know,
31:20any time you put up
31:21two points per game,
31:22I feel like that's
31:23not a bad tournament,
31:24but I think obviously
31:25just because it's myself,
31:27people expected
31:28a lot higher numbers.
31:30He did not look
31:32like a guy
31:33who should
31:33go number one overall.
31:35He did not
31:36separate himself to me.
31:37I was wildly
31:39disappointed in the way
31:40that Gavin McKenna
31:41played him this tournament.
31:42It's all over TikTok
31:44or Instagram
31:45or whatever it is,
31:46and they've got
31:47nothing better to do
31:48than sit in their basement
31:50and type up some,
31:51you know,
31:52hate comments
31:53or make some posts
31:53or whatever it is.
31:55I think I've earned,
31:57you know,
31:57those high standards,
31:59but it's tough.
32:01We hope that McKenna
32:02was going to come
32:02to this tournament
32:03and answer some
32:04of those questions
32:05and maybe silence
32:05some of those questions
32:06a little bit,
32:07mute them,
32:07dull them,
32:08but instead,
32:09there's probably
32:10even more questions
32:11than answers.
32:21After World Juniors
32:22and everyone calling
32:23him a bust
32:24and this,
32:25you're overrated here,
32:26you're overrated there.
32:28I couldn't imagine
32:30how much pressure
32:31he feels.
32:33And then there's
32:34the outdoor game.
32:3575,000 people
32:37at Penn State
32:38Beaver Stadium.
32:39Everyone's wearing
32:40white,
32:40screaming.
32:43And Gavin McKenna
32:44gets the big goal.
32:45The number one pick
32:46expected a next
32:48June's draft
32:49ties this one up.
32:51You've got to imagine
32:52if you're Gavin McKenna,
32:53life can't get any better
32:54at that point
32:55and then that night
32:57everything just
32:58flipped upside down.
33:00The Penn State
33:01hockey star
33:02now at the center
33:03of a case
33:04drawing national attention.
33:06Forward Gavin McKenna
33:07faces serious
33:08assault charges.
33:09The incident took place
33:10this past Saturday
33:11around 8.45 p.m.
33:13in front of the
33:13Pew Street parking garage
33:15in downtown State College.
33:16Police say McKenna
33:17and a group of people
33:18left Doggy's Pub
33:19when McKenna
33:20got into a verbal
33:21altercation
33:21with another group.
33:22Police say McKenna
33:23punched a 21-year-old
33:24man in twice
33:25who suffered fractures
33:27to his jaw,
33:27lost a tooth
33:28and could hardly
33:29speak afterwards.
33:34I would imagine
33:35it was probably
33:35a very vulnerable state
33:37that he was in
33:37hearing about
33:38some of these
33:38possible charges
33:39and him being
33:40a Canadian,
33:41does that mean
33:41that he's going
33:42to get deported
33:43and not be able
33:44to go to school
33:44in the States?
33:45And he's probably
33:46thinking,
33:46did I just jeopardize
33:47everything that I've
33:49tried to build here
33:50in getting to
33:51where I want to be?
33:58It was the craziest
33:59two days of my life.
34:02I couldn't eat,
34:03couldn't sleep.
34:04I was like glued
34:06to my phone.
34:07People were like,
34:08this guy's done.
34:10Gavin McKenna
34:11was just charged
34:12with four felony
34:13assault charges.
34:14So let's wait
34:15for the whole story
34:15to come out.
34:16This story,
34:17it didn't just take
34:18over the hockey world,
34:19it took over
34:20the entertainment world,
34:21the news cycle.
34:22You turn on CNN,
34:24you know,
34:24Fox News,
34:24everywhere you looked,
34:26it was Gavin McKenna.
34:29And then the rumors
34:30start coming out.
34:31What was allegedly said,
34:32Apparently there was
34:33a person berating
34:34McKenna's mom.
34:35That changed everything.
34:36Reportedly,
34:37Gavin and his family
34:38separated themselves
34:39from the situation.
34:40The kid followed him
34:41outside,
34:42verbally assaulted
34:43Gavin's mom,
34:44and then McKenna
34:45dropped him.
34:46Did it even matter
34:47that the rumors
34:48might not be true?
34:49No.
34:50I mean,
34:50the internet,
34:50it took out
34:51a life stone.
34:55To then find out
34:56why he did it,
34:57I think that
34:58everyone's like,
34:59yeah,
35:00that's awesome.
35:02Let's go.
35:03So Gavin McKenna
35:04did what we all
35:05like to think
35:06we would do.
35:07People started
35:08to decide with me.
35:09And he punched
35:10the kid in the face,
35:11and he broke
35:11the kid's jaw
35:12in three places.
35:13Good for him.
35:14Gavin McKenna.
35:14Gavin McChinseeker.
35:17It was a crazy change.
35:18What are you going
35:18to do, dude?
35:19Sometimes you just
35:20got to drop a guy.
35:21I think his stock
35:21is going up after this.
35:22Oh, it did?
35:23I'm sure he probably
35:24wished he would have
35:25handled it a different way,
35:26but by no means,
35:28I don't think any team
35:29or any scout
35:30after hearing that story
35:31is going to hold
35:31that against him.
35:32And if anything,
35:34I'm thinking to myself,
35:35I want that kid
35:36on my team.
35:37What's it do
35:37for his draft stock?
35:39Stocks don't change.
35:40Stocks maybe go up.
35:41People in the past
35:44have thought of me
35:44as kind of a soft player,
35:46so I think maybe
35:47that helped me
35:47in a little bit there.
35:59Tonight is the
36:00sixth-ranked
36:00Penn State hockey team
36:01back at home
36:02against Ohio State.
36:05Seeing the outpouring
36:06of support that he got.
36:13I think it maybe
36:14added a little bit
36:15of swagger to him.
36:18Mid in the slot.
36:19Eats and shakes.
36:20Delt it McKenna.
36:21McKenna to the net front.
36:23Score!
36:25Gavin McKenna!
36:27A little swag
36:28after the goal!
36:30You win the McGregor.
36:31Conor McGregor,
36:32one of the biggest
36:33fighters of all time,
36:34he has this kind of
36:35this swagger shrug
36:37that he has.
36:38From the incident,
36:39how much spotlight
36:40it got,
36:41then all of a sudden
36:42he's doing that shrug.
36:43I'm like,
36:44oh my God,
36:45this guy is just
36:46out of his mind.
36:47Back at the blue line,
36:4830 seconds
36:49into the man advantage.
36:50McKenna,
36:50a one-time drive!
36:51Score!
36:53McKenna,
36:54right down Broadway,
36:55back door,
36:55Bisa!
36:56Bisa!
37:00That's five points
37:01we're down already.
37:03Five points,
37:04wow.
37:05This year,
37:05I didn't expect
37:07to have a game
37:08like that at all.
37:09McKenna starts
37:09to fit in all!
37:10Score!
37:12She's in all
37:13from Gavin McKenna!
37:15That's six points!
37:16Just pucks
37:17are going in.
37:18Gavin McKenna,
37:20DeMarcico wants it
37:21one-timer coming,
37:23he scores!
37:26OK, so seven points
37:27now,
37:28how's that?
37:30Anybody up
37:31back in the job?
37:33McKenna back
37:33Smith,
37:34whines,
37:34and Mets!
37:35Score!
37:37Eight points
37:38in one game
37:39for Gavin McKenna!
37:41Now that's
37:42untouchable!
37:43To put up
37:43eight points
37:44against a program
37:45like Ohio State,
37:47that's nuts.
37:49Gavin's on fire!
37:50And you said
37:51to clarify,
37:52Gavin's on fire!
37:53The defense is
37:55terrifying!
37:56Gavin's on fire!
37:58Just this whole
37:59second half,
38:00I think I've learnt
38:01the league a little bit
38:01and I'm starting
38:03to find my way.
38:04I don't know,
38:05something's changed.
38:06Back to McKenna.
38:08A little finesse,
38:09a couple tracks,
38:10shoot,
38:10scores!
38:11Brilliant!
38:12Gavin McKenna,
38:13overtime game winner!
38:16On his way in,
38:17McKenna scores!
38:21That's a pretty
38:21nice move.
38:23The second half
38:24of the season
38:24has shut up
38:25the critics for sure.
38:26Second in the nation
38:27in points,
38:28being nominated
38:29for the Holby Baker,
38:30which is the Heisman
38:31of college hockey.
38:33First shot,
38:34doesn't go,
38:34but the second one's in!
38:36A great pass
38:37by Kevin McKenna.
38:51McKenna in open
38:52now for McKenna,
38:53having to straddle that line,
38:54waiting for teammates
38:54to come along.
38:55He goes far short,
38:56the shot,
38:57scores!
38:58And that plays
38:58all Gavin McKenna.
39:00But I think he's done it.
39:02I think that he has
39:02re-solidified himself
39:04as the guy
39:05at number one.
39:11Welcome to Albany,
39:13New York,
39:13MVP Arena,
39:14regional semifinal,
39:16NCAA men's ice hockey,
39:18Penn State,
39:19and UMD.
39:21Is it weird to you
39:22this could be
39:23your last game
39:24in a Penn State uniform?
39:26That's crazy to think about,
39:28for sure,
39:28but we're not thinking
39:30about that.
39:31Yeah.
39:33I told him that last night.
39:34He'll never get to play
39:34with a player like me again.
39:37Penn State's had to wait.
39:38They get a little rest
39:39coming in here,
39:40having fallen in the Big Ten
39:41semifinals at Michigan.
39:43All the hype
39:44and expectations
39:45all year long.
39:46It is win or go home
39:48here tonight.
39:50And he flies out to center.
39:51Penn State three on two.
39:52Fink over the attacking
39:53lines far away.
39:54Fink to McKenna.
39:54What a drive!
39:55Giron made the save
39:56across from right to left
39:58is the back window.
39:58Crispo hurries a shot save.
40:00The rebound came to Gray.
40:01Scramble up from Giron
40:02made the toe save.
40:03Chaos in the goal crease.
40:04Giron is down.
40:07Casey Amin starts
40:08into the near corner.
40:09Handles the puck.
40:10Zips him back door.
40:11Then all the drive.
40:12Score!
40:141-0 Penn State!
40:1620 goals wedged
40:17back to the line.
40:18Hansen kept swept it along.
40:19Plant back door.
40:20Max Plant shot!
40:21Score!
40:24Speed is picked off
40:25by McKenna.
40:25Great stick.
40:26Lead past Fink
40:26over the attacking line.
40:27He's 1-3.
40:28Drops it McKenna.
40:29Hurdles one.
40:30Drags through the slot.
40:31And he gets the shot away.
40:32Well that's one move
40:33we have not seen yet
40:34from Gavin McKenna.
40:35It's McKenna trying to
40:36shake on three
40:36in the near corner.
40:37Hands Lawback.
40:38Lawback out front.
40:39McKenna back.
40:39Hand shot by just high.
40:41Off the back.
40:41McKenna into the attacking zone.
40:43Near circle.
40:43Douglas out front.
40:44Feast a redirect.
40:45Scramble there.
40:46His belly's on the item.
40:48We're still tied at one
40:49with 10.49 to go
40:50in the third.
40:53McKenna the Lawback
40:54rubbed off the pucks left.
40:55Shots more!
40:57Hunter Anderson
40:58beats Fleming.
40:59High glove in Minnesota.
41:10And that is going to do it.
41:12Penn State's season
41:14comes to a heartbreaking
41:15end here tonight.
41:17In all likelihood
41:18this is the last time
41:19we'll get to see
41:19Gavin McKenna wear
41:20a Penn State sweater.
41:21Listen, you are
41:22you are an unbelievable
41:24human being.
41:25I love having you around.
41:26Thank you for coming here.
41:28Thanks guys.
41:40Crazy how quick
41:41the year's done.
41:46At any point this year
41:47did you regret
41:48your decision
41:49to go to Penn State?
41:50Honestly, no.
41:52I knew it was going
41:53to be tough
41:54and that's
41:55what I wanted.
41:56I didn't want it
41:56to be easy.
41:57I feel like
41:58I've grown a lot
41:59as a person
42:00and yeah
42:01there's not been
42:01a second
42:02where I've regretted it.
42:17Gavin?
42:17Hey.
42:18How you doing?
42:18Good, how are you?
42:19Good, Colin Fraser?
42:19Nice to meet you.
42:20How's it going?
42:21Good.
42:21Good.
42:22Hi Colin, I'm Crystal.
42:23Crystal, nice to meet you.
42:24Gavin's mom.
42:24Willie.
42:25Willie?
42:25Yeah, nice to meet you.
42:26Nice to meet you as well.
42:28Great, you guys.
42:28Welcome to the Yukon.
42:29Thanks for having me.
42:30Beautiful.
42:30You guys got a lot of soul.
42:32Yeah.
42:34I'm assuming you've met
42:35with a whole lot of teams, right?
42:36A good amount.
42:37Like more of the bottom teams
42:38but a good amount.
42:39Yeah, yeah, yeah.
42:41How was the season?
42:41How do you feel about it?
42:43I think college was obviously
42:44the right move for me.
42:45I think like learning
42:47how to play in that environment
42:48and play harder hockey,
42:49heavier hockey
42:50was huge for me.
42:52So where do you see like,
42:54like where do you see yourself
42:55six months from now
42:56and then 18 months
42:57where do you see yourself?
42:58Well, my goal is to play
43:01in the NHL next year.
43:03Went to college
43:04to make that jump
43:05a little smoother.
43:05So hopefully that's the case.
43:07And yeah, by then
43:10hopefully my year's over.
43:13You know, whatever team
43:14I get drafted to,
43:15hopefully we can make playoffs
43:17and hopefully have
43:19a Calder trophy as well.
43:25You hope the bestest success
43:26for Gavin for decades to come.
43:30But we are still in the prologue
43:32to his book.
43:36We know how the story starts.
43:40Nice, Gavin!
43:42Good job!
43:42We do not know how it ends.
43:45And that's why we love sports.
43:47That's why we love
43:47watching players
43:48that we see and know
43:50can be great,
43:51can be legends of the game.
43:53And yet,
43:54the true measure
43:56of a player's career
43:58requires patience.
44:01This kid is 17, 18 years old
44:04and you have grown adults
44:05getting online
44:07telling him he played
44:08an awful game
44:09or he sucks
44:10or he should have stayed
44:10in the CHL.
44:12He had all the lights on him.
44:14He had all the pressure
44:15in the world on him.
44:17But at the end of the day,
44:18it was a phenomenal season
44:20from Gavin McKenna.
44:21Across the camera,
44:22what time are scores?
44:24Gavin McKenna's first
44:26collegiate score.
44:27In the zone,
44:27starts between the circles,
44:28feeds it big,
44:29lets it fly!
44:31Scores!
44:31McKenna to the net front,
44:32score!
44:35Gavin McKenna!
44:38And, yeah,
44:39I think it changed
44:40college hockey forever.
44:44You're not the first guy
44:46who's had this level
44:47of attention at a young age
44:48and you're probably
44:49not going to be the last.
44:51What would you tell
44:51the next guy
44:52who has to deal
44:53with the same level
44:54of noise that you did?
44:55If I could say anything,
44:57listen to your family.
44:58They know best.
45:00We have to buy
45:01a new apartment somewhere
45:03so we can come visit you.
45:06You can get a hotel.
45:13I mean,
45:14I think I went
45:15to college for a reason
45:16to learn and grow
45:18and I think
45:19that's something
45:20that definitely happened.
45:21You ready to play
45:22with the big boys?
45:23I'm excited.
45:24Yeah.
45:36Got them.
45:47Bye-bye.
45:48Bye-bye.
45:48Bye-bye.
45:49Bye-bye.
45:50Bye-bye.
45:52Bye-bye.
45:52You
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