How Gavin McKenna Prepared For Tough Questions At The NHL Draft Combine: 'It's How You Manage These Things'

In preparation for the NHL draft combine, where prospects compete to see how many chin-ups, push-ups and other standardized exercises they can perform, Gavin McKenna spent weeks working out with a trainer in Kelowna, B.C.

But the projected first-overall pick also spent time with a former actor and comedian in an attempt to master the art of the in-person interview.

Steve Shenbaum, whose acting credits include minor roles in Space Jam, American Pie 2 and Big Fat Liar, is now a nationally recognized expert on communication with Game On and is a consultant for the NBA pre-draft and rookie transition programs. For the past couple of years, Shenbaum has been training prospects on not only what to say — but also how to say it.

McKenna has been seeing Shenbaum for the past two years, working on everything from his posture to his facial expressions to mastering the all-important handshake.

"We're always trying to find ways to prepare them," said McKenna's agent, Pat Brisson. "Game On prepares you to speak in front of a camera, how to be a better teammate. It's about how you want to be perceived a certain way."

Brisson has had 10 clients get selected first overall in the past 20 years. So he knows how important every little detail is in ensuring a player gets picked as high as possible.

For McKenna, who skipped the recent World Championship to prepare for the combine, the physical tests occurring Friday and Saturday are important. But even more important are the face-to-face interviews.

McKenna met with eight teams this week. According to Brisson, he could have done triple that number. The Vancouver Canucks, which have the No. 3 overall pick, recently took him out for dinner. The Toronto Maple Leafs, which have the No. 1 overall pick, went one step further and visited McKenna at his home in Whitehorse, YT.

"The best advice I was given prior to coming here was just be confident," McKenna told NHL.com. "You want to sell yourself in a humble way, like I said, and you're only here once. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so make the most out of it, and I think just have fun with it."

Well, don't have too much fun.

After all, the Leafs are not just looking for a superstar — they want a franchise star, a potential captain, someone who will hopefully put an end to the 59-year drought and lead them to a Stanley Cup championship. At the very least, the Leafs need McKenna to expedite the rebuild after finishing with the fifth-worst record this season.

That begins by making sure that McKenna's off-ice characteristics match his on-ice potential. And while fitness tests can provide a baseline for physical growth, the interview process can shed light on what's to come when adversity inevitably strikes.

Former GM Brian Burke once said that the interview process with No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov was so hostile that he was afraid that one of his scouts was going to fight the Russian teenager. The Leafs didn't have the top pick that year, but Burke said even if they did they were always going to pass on Yakupov and pick Morgan Rielly, who fell to the team at the No. 5 spot.

Drew Doughty was once questioned about his off-ice eating habits, which earned him the nickname of "donuts." According to a 2012 story in ESPN The Magazine, Phil Kessel's combine interview with the Columbus Blue Jackets had him having to answer questions on why he was called a "dirt bag" by one of his teammates and whether he gave liquor to underage teammates.

On the flip side, Gabriel Landeskog was so impressive in his interview with the Colorado Avalanche that the team was convinced he would be their captain.

"They used to go harder at kids to see their actions," said Brisson. "There were certain teams that are more aggressive than others. Kids are more prepared now. But every marker is important. We've had players who are ranked low who move up after the combine because of a good interview.

"You could have someone who has an amazing personality and the it factor. But is he going to be able to compete and fight on the ice?"

Everyone knows what McKenna can do on the ice. A year after leaving the WHL, where he scored 41 goals and 129 points in 56 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers, the 18-year-old enrolled as a freshman at Penn State and scored a team-leading 51 points in 35 games.

Some scouts have called the playmaking left winger a taller version of Patrick Kane. Others project he'll be closer to Jonathan Huberdeau.

If there are concerns, it might stem from a January incident where McKenna allegedly got into a fight after leaving a bar and broke another man's jaw. 

Initially, McKenna was charged with a felony count of aggravated assault, but prosecutors later withdrew that charge. McKenna still faces a second-degree misdemeanor charge of simple assault, a summary offense of harassment (subject other to physical contact) and a summary offense of disorderly conduct (engage in fighting).

The charges have not been proven in court at this time. A judge granted a delay in the case earlier this week, as McKenna's legal counsel sought additional time for discovery and to engage in resolution discussions with the district attorney's office, according to WJACTV.com.

Earlier this week, a judge signed a continuance in the case, with McKenna's legal counsel citing the reason for the requested delay as "additional time is needed for discovery and to engage in resolution discussions with district attorney's office."

Chances are, the teams that McKenna met with this week in Buffalo asked him about that incident and for his side of the story. If so, McKenna was more than prepared for it.

"He knows how to manage these questions. He's not going too deep in the case," said Brisson. "He was charged with a misdemeanor. We know a lot more what occurred, and we're comfortable with him doing what he's doing right now. We also have to be respectful with the situation and go by the law itself."

For some teams, what McKenna experienced might not have necessarily been viewed as a negative. Whether it's an on-ice mistake or an off-ice incident, every player and every person has had something in their lives that could have derailed them. It's what you gain from the experience and the lessons learned.

"In life in general, you have obstacles at times," said Brisson. "It's how you manage these things. We all learn from our actions. I've seen a kid grow before my eyes. The other day, he was doing an interview with Sportsnet, and his posture — you could see the progression, the confidence.

"Those are little things."

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.