Top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna charged with felony assault
By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, widely considered to be the top prospect in the 2026 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft, was charged with felony aggravated assault on Wednesday by authorities in State College, Pennsylvania, according to documents obtained by CNN.
The 18-year-old was also charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor and summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. McKenna was awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to court documents.
The alleged offenses took place on January 31 according to court documents, the same day the No. 6 ranked Nittany Lions lost in overtime to No. 2 Michigan State in an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium in College Park, Pennsylvania.
Details of the alleged incident are unknown but CNN has reached out to McKenna’s representation and the State College police department for more information.
According to Pennsylvania’s state crime code, the maximum penalty for first-degree felony aggravated assault is 20 years in prison.
A freshman forward, McKenna has 11 goals and 21 assists in 24 games this season while leading Penn State to an 18-8-0 record this season. Hockey experts have referred to the Canadian as a generational talent who would likely hear his name called first at June’s player draft in Buffalo, New York.
The Nittany Lions hockey program told CNN it was “aware that charges have been filed” but would not comment further.
McKenna committed to Penn State after the NCAA lifted its ban on Canadian Hockey League players competing at the Division I level.
McKenna also helped Canada bring home a bronze medal in the World Junior Championships last month, finishing the tournament with four goals and six assists.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
