Top NHL Prospect Gavin McKenna Charged With Assault Stemming From Incident Hours After Outdoor Game
The 18-year-old is the consensus No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.
Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna is expected to be the first player to hear his name called in the 2026 NHL Draft, but it's now being reported that the star freshman is facing a felony aggravated assault charge.
According to Onward State, McKenna was involved in an incident in downtown State College on Saturday night around 10:35 pm local time.
State College Police reportedly charged McKenna with aggravated assault, saying that the assault "attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference."
READ: PENN STATE‑MICHIGAN STATE HOCKEY GAME DRAWS AN INCREDIBLE 75,000 FANS TO BEAVER STADIUM
This is a felony charge and carries up to 20 years in prison. The 18-year-old is also facing a misdemeanor simple assault, and summary offenses of disorderly conduct and harassment.
Onward State cited sources that claimed the incident in question took place after the hockey team visited a local bar, Doggie's Pub, just hours after McKenna and the Nittany Lions lost in overtime to the Michigan State Spartans in front of 75,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.
Top NHL prospect and Penn State forward Gavin McKenna is facing a felony aggravated assault charge after an incident that occurred Saturday night in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
At the bar, it's reported that an altercation occurred in which McKenna allegedly broke one victim's jaw.
Court documents indicate that right now, McKenna is still awaiting his preliminary hearing. Penn State has yet to state the situation.
McKenna has 11 goals and 21 assists through 24 games this season, including one goal during the outdoor game at Beaver Stadium.
He joined the Nittany Lions this season after previously playing junior hockey for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL.
He's such a highly touted prospect that his announcement of where he was going to play college hockey was broadcast on ESPN. Notably, he was part of the first wave of players that made the jump from the CHL to college hockey following a change to the NCAA's eligibility rules.
This is a situation that NHL teams will certainly be keeping a close eye on as we move toward the NHL Draft in June.