Gavin McKenna & Keaton Verhoeff Address Reporters at the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine Part 1 of 2 · Jun. 5, 2026
At LECOM HarborCenter in Buffalo, projected top pick McKenna reflected on his freshman year at Penn State — where he tied for fifth in NCAA scoring with 51 points in 35 games — and credited the World Juniors as a confidence turning point. He mentioned leaning on Connor Bedard for advice on handling pressure and said going first overall in a Canadian market would be a childhood dream come true. Verhoeff, ranked fourth among North American skaters after a 20-point freshman season at North Dakota, said sharing the ice with McKenna at the World Juniors sometimes left him watching in awe — and that his own calling card every night is consistency and compete level.
Jun 6, 2026
Source: NHL