After landing James Hagens at 7th overall this year, the Bruins strengthened their prospect pool for the future. Hagens has his sights set on making the NHL but will most likely play at Boston College this upcoming season. The Bruins now have an opportunity to strengthen their roster further by drafting a generational talent in 2026.
What is Gavin McKenna's potential?
Gavin McKenna is undoubtedly the highest ranked prospect for the 2026 NHL draft and considered to be a generational talent and a future franchise player for whichever team lands him. This season, as a 17 year old, McKenna racked up an impressive 129 points in 56 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League.
To put that in perspective, the last 17-year-old to get over 100 points in the WHL was Connor Bedard in 2021-22 for the Regina Pats. Drafted number 1 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023, Bedard is considered a generational talent with his playmaking ability and lethal wrist shot.
Connor McDavid, considered the best player in the world, had 120 points in 47 games in the 2014-15 season with the Erie Otters of the OHL. McDavid accomplished this during his draft year, while Gavin McKenna has one year left before he is drafted. Another player to have over 100 points as a 17-year-old was NHL superstar Sidney Crosby with 135 points in 59 games in 2003-04 with the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL.
McKenna is Paving a New Path for NHL Prospects
McKenna however, will not be returning to the CHL next season and has committed to play NCAA hockey for Penn State. Previously, the players in the CHL were deemed professionals and therefore had to give up their NCAA eligibility. In November of 2024, the NCAA made a rule change that made Canadian major junior players eligible for college hockey. Since this change, players like Gavin McKenna are paving a new path for prospects going to the NHL.
The competition and physicality of college hockey more closely resemble an NHL game when compared to the younger and more skilled style of play of the Canadian leagues. Teams and scouts can better predict when a player is ready for the NHL by watching how the player performs against older and stronger competition found in the NCAA.
Another reason Canadian players may want to transition to the NCAA is because of the new revenue-sharing system. Starting in 2025-26, schools will now share athletic department revenues and have the ability to make direct payments to their varsity athletes. Schools that opt into this system will have a $20.5 million per year cap across all sports. Each athletic department is responsible for deciding how the money is spent.
The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC are the conferences that have opted in for the system. This is in addition to the July 1, 2021, policy that enabled student athletes to earn money via their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Gavin McKenna’s NIL contract is rumored to be around the $700,000 mark at Penn State.
What are the chances of the Bruins getting Mckenna?
The chances of the Bruins getting Mckenna will depend on a few scenarios. This offseason, the Bruins decided to focus on signing depth players and bolstering their bottom 6. The Bruins signed Tanner Jeannot to a five-year $17 million contract. Acquired Viktor Arvidsson in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Signed Sean Kuraly to a two-year $3.7 million contract. Signed Michael Eyssimont to a two-year $2.9 million deal.
Even if there are no big moves for the off-season, this roster can be competitive going into next season. If the top players on this team have great years, then it could be enough to pull the Bruins back into a playoff spot. The Bruins have a solid defensive core led by Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They also had one of the best lines in the NHL at the end of last season with Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and David Pastrnak. If the Bruins could make the playoffs, it would definitely hurt the chances of getting McKenna, and the Bruins would likely have to acquire a high draft pick or prospect through trade.
If the Bruins have another mediocre year, then they should sell at the deadline again or even sooner to ensure the best possible chance of winning the draft lottery and getting McKenna. Trade everything not named Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman. If McKenna lights up the NCAA next year, he may want to join an NHL team right away. This would be good news for the Bruins since James Hagens is also eager to play in the NHL. If both players have great years in the NCAA, there is a scenario where both Hagens and McKenna join this team at the same time.
Possibly the worst-case scenario for the Bruins is finishing next season just outside of a playoff spot. Not quite good enough to make it in, but not bad enough to get a quality draft pick either. This would slow down the Bruins' rebuild and cost another season of their star players in their prime.
Drafting legitimate top end talent in back-to-back years would be the better move for Boston in the long term. Drafting more NHL ready players means they can take advantage of their current stars primes. A generational talent like Gavin McKenna does not come around everyday and the timing is right for Boston to take advantage of it.