Gavin McKenna Playing the Long Game: Top Prospect Taking His Time on NCAA Decision
The tsunami of college commitments has started to build strength in the deeper waters. The list of junior-aged CHLers who have officially committed to an NCAA program for next season is growing, and the names are becoming increasingly notable.
While schools are actively pursuing a host of high-value players, the crown jewel remains top 2026-eligible Gavin McKenna.
Fresh off a heartbreaking loss in the Memorial Cup final on Sunday evening, the 17-year-old superstar will not be racing to decide on his immediate future. “No decisions have been made.” McKenna's long-time advisor, Byron Ritchie, said. “Nothing is going to be decided until after the (NHL) Draft.”
For his part, McKenna has remained singularly focused throughout his draft-minus-one season. The goal was to win a Memorial Cup. He wasn't going to allow the potential move for next year to impact his commitment to his club this season.
As a result, the Yukon-native continued to be the pulse of the Medicine Hat Tigers. He wasn't just putting up video-game-like numbers, but setting the tone for the entire team. Despite being younger than many of his teammates, McKenna led by his habits, his energy, and ultimately, his elite play. Oh, and his production.
His speed stood out nightly, not just in how fast he skates, but in how quickly he processes the game. With slick puckhandling and elite vision, he constantly broke down defences and made the players around him better. McKenna finished second in the WHL with 129 points in 56 games, then led all playoff skaters in points-per-game and recorded at least a point in every Memorial Cup contest.
He had points in 59 of his final 60 games, including a 54-game point streak that saw him produce a staggering 138 points over that span.
For a draft-minus-one player, he didn’t just contribute, he drove the team. And he drove them to within inches of the ultimate prize in junior hockey. Now, he has the responsibility of making a watershed decision that will shift the landscape of junior hockey for all who come behind him.
Last November, the NCAA Division I Council approved a major change: starting in the 2025–26 season, players with CHL experience will finally be eligible to compete at American universities. Beginning August 1, 2025, the NCAA will officially lift its long-standing ban on CHL players — a restriction that had been in place because CHL athletes received a small monthly stipend, labelling them as professionals under NCAA rules.
That ruling came just a few years after the NCAA’s major 2021 policy shift on name, image, and likeness (NIL), which opened the door for student-athletes to earn money off their personal brands.
The combination of these two changes has opened a new lane: CHL players can now head to college hockey and potentially cash in. Some sources peg the potential return for players in the $100,000 to $200,000 per season range. Others believe it could reach as high as half a million dollars for elite talent.
While NIL has already reshaped the landscape in sports like football and basketball, it’s just beginning to take hold in hockey, and it’s gaining steam quickly.
Beyond the financial upside, players would also benefit from competing in an older, more physically mature league. Instead of facing 15 or 16-year-olds fresh out of minor hockey, they’d be going head-to-head with seasoned 22 and 23-year-olds on the cusp of turning pro.
Already, the shift is being felt. Dozens of CHL players have committed to NCAA programs for next season, with top 2025-eligible players starting to link up with specific schools, and Keaton Verhoeff being the first top 2026-eligible player to make the jump as he committed to North Dakota late last week.
Losing McKenna, who is set to become the marquee marketing piece for the CHL, represents a potential death knell for the league. But that's just the reality they face.
McKenna won't rush things, though. No decision has been made, and he will take his time and visit several of the large-recruiting schools in July. “Gavin is going to visit and speak to schools after the draft,” Ritchie shared. “He won't decide until July.”
The University of Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State have all been linked to he young phenom and are expected to be on his campus tour list.
But for now, the speculation can subside as nothing will be decided until all aspects are diligently considered and evaluated. It's a tactic that has served Gavin very well on the ice, so it's not surprising he'd take that route for making the biggest off-ice decision of his career.
