Projected No. 1 NHL draft pick charged with felony assault

Field Level Media|published: 02/04/2026, 8:21pm EST

Jan 31, 2026; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Gavin McKenna (72) looks to shoot the puck during the first period against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, who was expected to be the top overall draft pick in the 2026 NHL draft, was charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault, stemming from an incident on Jan. 31.

McKenna, an 18-year-old Canada native, also was charged with misdemeanor simple assault and two summary counts of disorderly conduct by the Pennsylvania Magisterial District Court after what was described as a fight.

No date has been set for a preliminary hearing.

The incident referenced in the charges happened on the same day that Penn State lost to Michigan State 5-4 in overtime during an outdoor game at on-campus Beaver Stadium in front of a crowd of 74,575.

"We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment," Penn State said in a statement.

McKenna was among the first Canadian junior hockey players to take advantage of a 2024 ruling that allowed players from the country to jump into college hockey. According to an ESPN report, McKenna is making an estimated $700,000 in NIL money.

McKenna has 11 goals and 21 assists in 26 games for the Nittany Lions this season.

--Field Level Media