Gavin McKenna talks about playing Penn State ice hockey in front of 75,000 people
Gavin McKenna talks about playing Penn State ice hockey in front of 75,000 people
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new information
Gavin McKenna, Penn State men’s hockey star and projected top NHL draft pick, has been charged with aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, and two summary counts of disorderly conduct and harassment, according to court documents.
The charges, filed Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Center County, Pennsylvania, stem from an alleged altercation in downtown State College on Saturday, Jan. 31, hours after Penn State lost 5-4 in overtime to Michigan State at Beaver Stadium in front of a crowd of 74,575.
Aggravated assault is a first-degree felony for “attempting to cause serious injury or causing injury with extreme indifference.”
In a media release Wednesday evening, the State University Police Department said Mr. McKenna was arraigned by State University Borough Magistrate District Judge Casey M. McClain and released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
Mr. McKenna’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11th at 8:30 a.m. ET at the Center County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, according to a media release.
“The Borough Police Department has filed criminal charges against Penn State student Gavin McKenna, 18, of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. The charges stem from an altercation that occurred on January 31, 2026 at approximately 8:45 p.m. in the 100 block of South Pew Street in the Borough of Borough,” the release states.
Penn State is not scheduled to play again until Feb. 12 against No. 1 Michigan.
A Penn State spokesperson told the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY Network, that university officials “are aware that charges have been filed, but as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be commenting further.”
McKenna, an 18-year-old freshman, is widely viewed as one of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft. NHL.com rates him as the No. 1 draft prospect.
The Whitehorse, Yukon native has a team-high 21 assists, 32 points and 11 goals for Penn State this season. One year after their first appearance in “Frozen 4,” the Nittany Lions are ranked No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports College Hockey Rankings with an 18-8 record.
Last year, McKenna played for the Medicine Hat Tigers and was named Western Hockey League Player of the Year when he led them to the WHL championship. The 6-foot, 170-pound left winger scored 173 points in 76 games during the regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup, and was named Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year. McKenna, 17 at the time, was the third-youngest player in the CHL this year, behind Sidney Crosby and John Tavares.
He committed to Penn State during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” last July. ESPN reported last year that McKenna received a name, image and likeness (NIL) contract from Penn State with a “predicted value” of $700,000.
