Gavin McKenna is an incredible talent.
When Canadiens fans watch the 2025 World Juniors, they might start daydreaming about drafting Gavin McKenna. This high-octane forward has been playing up in age in these kinds of tournaments and has consistently been one of the best players in them. He has all the tools of a potential generational talent.
McKenna will turn 18 next December. Let that set in. He’s into his second full season with Medicine Hat in the WHL. After 30 games, he has 19 goals and 41 assists. He is the crown jewel of the 2026 NHL Draft. There’s little debate about that.
Last season in the U18s, the left wing had 20 points in seven games. Think about that and then think about him in the Canadiens lineup in a few years. It could happen. Will the Canadiens be in the running for him? I think they might, and that is a positive if their rebuild keeps them in the bottom five in the league.
Here are some of his attributes:
He scores and sets up plays. He is 100% pure offense. The way he finds open spots on the ice is instinctual. That’s a gift, and that’s what makes him incredibly hard to defend against. I love his edge work. What’s not to like?
The Canadiens need a few more big hits from the draft to become the team they hope to become. Rebuilds can be painful to watch at times. My thoughts are if the Canadiens at least have a decent chance of getting him in the lottery then it’s a good place to be.