BUFFALO \u2013 Gavin McKenna surged down the stretch in the second half of the season with Penn State. The 18-year-old winger carried that momentum into the NHL scouting combine this week. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as my season was done I didn\u2019t really take a break,\u201d McKenna said after completing fitness testing on Saturday at LECOM Harborcenter. \u201cI wanted to prepare for the combine.\u201d<\/p>\n
McKenna opted to focus on the final big event in his draft season rather than pursue an opportunity with Team Canada at the senior men\u2019s World Championship. <\/p>\n
The hard work paid off as the Whitehorse native ranked in the top-eight in four fitness tests. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously you want to do your best at everything so I wanted to prepare hard for this,\u201d he said. \u201cMy frame\u2019s not the biggest [5-foot-11.25, 170 pounds] so I just wanted to show that I could compete out there and I could work hard off the ice. I think that\u2019s a big key to carry through to the next level. I think when you can take care of your body and are physical, and your body\u2019s strong, I think that\u2019s key to a long career.\u201d<\/p>\n
McKenna excelled in the gruelling bike events, including finishing first in the VO2 max aerobic test. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s one that guys are always dreading to do,\u201d McKenna said proudly.<\/p>\n
Then he cracked a smile. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think those long shifts have helped me through my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
McKenna finished fourth in the isokinetic squat category, tied for sixth in pull-ups and came in eighth in the force plate no arm jump.<\/p>\n
McKenna entered the season as the favourite to go first overall but started slow, relative to expectations, in his first season in the NCAA. The move from the Western Hockey League, where he piled up 129 points in 56 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2024-25 season, led to some growing pains. <\/p>\n
McKenna stayed off Instagram all season, but still couldn\u2019t help but hear the critics. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see yourself at the top since a young age and then you start to see the things in the media, you know, I\u2019ve fallen down, having a bad start to the year, you get pretty fired up from it,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I started seeing those things, I kind of got sick and tired of seeing it and just kind of used it as fuel. Started working harder off the ice, on the ice, and when I started doing that I just became more confident. When you\u2019re putting in the time and effort, you start to feel good about yourself and I think that\u2019s kind of what helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The World Juniors marked a turning point. McKenna finished second in tournament scoring with 14 points in seven games, but received mixed reviews as Canada settled for a bronze medal<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cMy confidence came back,\u201d McKenna said of the event in Minnesota. \u201cIn the media it still wasn\u2019t a great tournament so that fired me up even more. World Juniors is kind of where my season flipped around. I just felt it in my game. I was a lot more confident and not gripping my stick as tight and it led to a better second half.\u201d<\/p>\n McKenna\u2019s chief rival to go first overall, Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, left the World Juniors with a gold medal and rave reviews. At that moment, the race to be the top pick felt closer than ever. But now it feels like McKenna has re-established himself atop the class of 2026. <\/p>\n The Maple Leafs own the first-overall pick and general manager John Chayka recently visited with McKenna and his family in Whitehorse. Chayka praised McKenna\u2019s character in a media session on Friday<\/a>. <\/p>\n McKenna, who admired Patrick Kane<\/a> while growing up, is due to visit Toronto next week. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been to the city quite a bit, but to finally get to meet some more people and just have conversations and just try to sell yourself in a humble way, I\u2019m looking forward to it. Any time you get to talk to a team like that and they invite you to their city it\u2019s a pretty big honour so I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d <\/p>\n The adversity McKenna faced this season made him stronger and provided a roadmap to navigate out of future challenges wherever he plays next. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019ll carry with me forever,\u201d he said. \u201cI learnt that hard work is the key to confidence and when you start working hard things start to pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Sick and tired of seeing it’: Fuelled by doubters, McKenna’s momentum continues at combine Gavin McKenna reflects on handling the pressure from doubters over the last season leading up to the NHL Draft and focusing on working hard to maintain his confidence. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Due to an illness, Stenberg was unable to take part in the fitness testing at the combine. <\/p>\n \u201cIf I would be feeling good, not too sick, I would do it,\u201d he said. \u201cNot happy about it, but it is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Stenberg, who compares his game style to that of countryman Lucas Raymond<\/a>, is looking forward to getting home for a bit before returning to Buffalo for the draft. <\/p>\n \u201cGet to rest up a little bit,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long season.\u201d<\/p>\n Stenberg didn\u2019t get a chance to make a closing statement with the fitness tests like McKenna did, but the Frolunda forward is feeling good following an impressive point-per-game performance at the men\u2019s World Championship. <\/p>\n Stenberg believes he proved he can make the jump straight into the NHL next season. <\/p>\n \u201cI was around NHL guys at Worlds and I really think I can do it, yeah,\u201d he said. \u201cYou get more confidence every day you\u2019re around them, and feel you can compete against them and play with them. Yeah, you got confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Stenberg skips combine testing due to illness; confident in ability to make NHL jump next year Ivar Stenberg didn’t participate in the draft combine testing Saturday in Buffalo as he was feeling under the weather. He spoke about being disappointed in not being able to participate, travelling back to Sweden before the draft, and how confident he is in his ability to be NHL ready. <\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Chayka believes there are five or six players in the top tier of the draft and defenceman Chase Reid, who had a stand-out season with the Soo Greyhounds, is believed to be among that group. The 18-year-old from Michigan met with the Leafs during the combine. <\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a lot of guys in there,\u201d he said with a smile. \u201cIt was a little nerve-wracking sitting down in front of 10 of them but, yeah, it was definitely good.\u201d<\/p>\n