The next steps for NCAA prospects Gavin McKenna, Porter Martone and Jonathan Castagna are all in place. It won't be long before some sign an entry-level contract with their NHL team, while another could be suiting up for Team Canada in the off-season.
The Men’s NCAA Ice Hockey National Championship is well underway, and through nearly two rounds, we’ve witnessed some of the best prospects in the world see their tournaments end.
For some players, it’s a disappointment, and they’ll hope to see better fortunes in the following season. For others, like 2026 projected No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, Philadelphia Flyers top prospect Porter Martone, and Calgary Flames skilled prospect Jonathan Castagna, their next steps could involve the NHL and professional hockey.
During the ‘Saturday Headlines’ feature on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet's NHL insider Elliotte Friedman provided updates on what he’s hearing regarding these top college prospects.
Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
The NCAA hockey circuit has never seen a more anticipated move than Gavin McKenna’s decision to leave the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers for Penn State University. McKenna signed a sizeable NIL deal to join the Nittany Lions, and he did not disappoint.
McKenna finished his freshman season with 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games, ranking tied for third in points in the nation. Unfortunately for McKenna and Penn State, their hopes of winning the National Championship evaporated in the first round of the tournament, as they lost to the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
The next step for the 18-year-old is the NHL draft, and it is almost a guarantee that he will be with whatever NHL club drafts him next year. But Friedman reported that McKenna could have one final stop before the draft.
“I do think the most likely next step for McKenna is the World Championship for Canada,” Friedman said. “Nothing is finalized at this point in time, but I think there’s a will on everybody’s part to make this happen. So we should expect, barring something very surprising, that he’s going to end up there.”
This decision isn’t uncommon. The most recent big-name draft-eligible player to participate in the World Championships was Adam Fantilli, who posted one goal and three points in 10 games. Other notable players who have done so are Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Patrik Laine.
McKenna may not have much to prove in terms of his draft stock, but if he goes to the World Championship and performs well, he’ll likely lock up his spot at the top of the 2026 draft.
Gavin McKenna (Barry Reeger-Imagn Images)Porter Martone, RW, Michigan State University
Michigan State entered the National Championship as the No. 3 team in the nation, but they suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to Wisconsin on Saturday, once again falling short of their goal of winning it all. Although they fell short, it wasn’t due to the play of Porter Martone.
Martone’s season ended with him notching 25 goals and 50 points in 35 games, leading his team in goals and points, while finishing sixth in points and tied for second in goals nationally. The 19-year-old was incredible and led the way for a stacked Michigan State team.
Like McKenna, the Canadian right winger has likely played his final game in college, as Friedman predicts the Flyers could hand Martone his entry-level contract in the next day or so.
“I got a few notes from people covering that game, ‘keep an eye out for Porter Martone,’” Friedman started. “He was taken at the top of the first round this year, sixth overall by Philadelphia, and people just said this one could move very quickly. It’s something to keep an eye over the 24-48 hours.”
On Sunday morning, ESPN's Kevin Weekes further confirmed that sources tell him Philadelphia are close to signing Martone to his entry-level deal.
Standing 6-foot-3, Martone would likely enter the Flyers’ lineup immediately and would be a vital piece as they attempt to make a late push for the playoffs. The Flyers currently sit three points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and Martone’s size and offensive abilities could help them pick up key points down the final 10-game stretch.
Jonathan Castagna, C, Cornell University
Jonathan Castagna’s situation is quite different from McKenna and Martone’s. The two players listed before were freshmen and led the new wave of CHL players making the switch to the NCAA. Castagna, who is also Canadian, never played in the CHL before moving to the NCAA.
Also, Castagna just completed his junior year of college and is 20 years old. In what could be his final season with Cornell, Castagna posted a team-leading 15 goals and 34 points in 34 games.
Besides his age and college tenure, Castagna differs from McKenna and Martone because he wasn’t a coveted first-round pick and was recently traded in an NHL deal.
Castagna was part of the package the Utah Mammoth sent to the Flames in exchange for MacKenzie Weegar. Prior to the trade, the Flames and Castagna had probably never spoken. Despite that, there is optimism that the two parties will sign an entry-level contract.
“His team, Cornell, was knocked out yesterday,” Friedman said. “There’s a lot of optimism here that something is going to get done. Eric Francis reported yesterday that the Flames have sent a couple people to meet with him and talk to him. Nothing again finalized at this time, but there sounds like there is a lot of optimism that Jonathan Castagna and the Flames will get something done.”
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