Gavin McKenna is Going to Make College Hockey So Much Fun
Watching a consensus #1 NHL Draft pick play his one year of college hockey is such a unique thing. It's unlike anything else in sports. Often times it's honestly a bit underwhelming. Your hear all the hype about how this kid is the NHL's next big thing, you see his junior highlights where he's scoring 2+ points per game and looks like he's playing a different sport than everyone else.
But when they get to college, it doesn't quite look the same. Because for the first time, this 17-18 year old kid is playing hockey vs adults who have already grown into their bodies. Many of which have more or less already reached their full potential. College hockey doesn't have "regular aged" seniors either. So many college hockey players don't even enroll until their old enough to drink (in America). So you end up with kids who are legally children playing a highly physical sport with full-grown 24-year old men. That #1 overall prospect is going to skate circles around them in a few years, but for that one year they play in college, they don't always jump off the screen the you might expect.
Gavin McKenna in his first weekend with Penn State though... he was pretty damn impressive. Gavin McKenna jumps off the screen. He's going to make college hockey fun to watch this year. Three points in his first two games against a top 25 team. His winning goal on Saturday night on a one-time shot that not many college hockey players, let alone 17-year old kids, are able to pull off.
He had a pair of impressive assists on Friday night. You can just tell how much better he sees the ice than most players.
He's out there setting up and running power plays in a only way elite offensive hockey players are able to do. His vision and feel of the game in general is head and shoulders above most everybody else on the ice. Watching this next highlight, Arizona State is lucky they were able to hold him to 3 points this weekend.
And on top of all that, he came out of the gates talking all sorts of shit. He gave the immediate forks down after his game winning goal Saturday. He skated straight to the ASU student section after the game and refused to stop forks downing until he was all the way in the locker room.
That's what $700k will get you in college hockey in the NIL era (for one year). Gavin McKenna is going to be a treat to watch this year. He's going to make college hockey even more fun that it already is. He's going to fill seats in arenas that teams aren't able to fill themselves. Good for Penn State. They could use something to cheer about right now.