Penn State hockey coach Guy Gadowsky on landing top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna: ‘This is a huge thing’

Tuesday provided yet another reminder that it truly is the dawn of a new era of Penn State hockey.

Months after the program made history by reaching its first Frozen Four in just its 12th season at the Division I level, and a week since landing generational prospect Gavin McKenna, the all-but-guaranteed top pick in next June’s NHL draft, coach Guy Gadowsky summed up the direction his program is heading best.

» READ MORE: Does Penn State’s Frozen Four berth mean the hockey program has arrived?

“This is Penn State. Penn State has high expectations of all of its athletes … It’s better to have these expectations than not — this is where everybody wants to be," Gadowsky said, speaking publicly for the first time since McKenna committed to the university during a July 8 episode of ESPN’s SportsCenter.

McKenna’s decision will likely be looked back on as the landmark moment that caused a seismic shift in terms of the hockey development pipeline. It loudly announced Penn State’s presence as a major player in the arms race that college hockey recruiting is set to become following the recent NCAA-CHL rule change. That change, which was passed in November and will take effect this season, allows Canadian Hockey League players to maintain their NCAA eligibility even after playing junior hockey north of the border.

In the 17-year-old McKenna, Penn State is landing a player who is widely considered to be the most hyped NHL prospect to ever play college hockey. After being granted exceptional status by the Western Hockey League at 15 years old, and tallying 97 points in 61 games the following year, McKenna is fresh off posting the most dominant draft-minus-one season ever in the WHL. Last season, the winger potted 41 goals and 129 points in just 56 games (2.3 points per game) for the Medicine Hat Tigers, before adding another 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 16 playoff contests.

“I think one of the things that makes him so special is that he is so creative,” the 57-year-old Gadowsky said of McKenna. “His mind is just very different. And there’s no way that I, or anybody else on our staff, thinks like Gavin does. He is a very, very special athlete who thinks very differently. And, I’m going to enjoy watching him. By no means am I ever going to talk to him about how his mind creates. That’s him, and it’s going to be really fun to watch.”

While Gadowsky preached patience with McKenna as he adapts to a more physical brand of hockey in the NCAA and life as a college student, the coach labeled him a “five-tool player” who will be encouraged to be creative and showcase his skill set with the Nittany Lions. But how did Penn State land a player of such pedigree, especially when competing against some of college hockey’s blue bloods for this type of generational talent?

“There’s a lot of things that make Penn State hockey a really attractive program for any potential student athlete. And we go through all of it,” said Gadowsky, who has been the head coach at Penn State since 2011. “It’s not just one thing. It has to do with how we develop our facilities, the personnel, the philosophy of the administration, the support of the university, and the support of Pegula Ice Arena, the great student body that makes it an incredible atmosphere; there’s a lot of things. So we went through it all.”

Money and the financial backing of alumnus Terry Pegula and his wife, Kim, who own the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills, certainly played a significant role in landing McKenna’s signature — he reportedly will earn $700,000 in name, image, and likeness deals to play next season. But there were other factors from a developmental and competitive perspective that appealed to McKenna, particularly when compared to the option of returning to the WHL.

“I feel this is the next step in my development to reach my ultimate goal of playing in the NHL and I am excited to get to Happy Valley,” McKenna said last week. “I’m very appreciative for all the support I’ve received so far, especially to my family who has been with me through it all.”

McKenna, who also considered Michigan and Michigan State, won’t be the only high-profile prospect in Happy Valley next season. Defenseman Jackson Smith, the 14th overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in last month’s draft, and forward Luke Misa, a Calgary Flames draft pick, had already committed to the Nittany Lions for 2025-26. The school also landed one of the top players in the transfer portal, defenseman Mac Gadowsky, the coach’s son, who transferred in after an All-America season at Army.

Penn State might not be done, either, as Flyers top pick Porter Martone and Michael Misa, Luke’s brother and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft, have been linked with the school. Gadowsky did not rule out another addition when asked Tuesday about Martone and Misa.

“[The roster] is always fluid because of eligibility, injuries, etc.,” the coach said. “So I don’t think it’s fair to ever say, always, you know, we are absolutely done or we’re not done, I think, because there’s too many factors that can happen. ... You have to look at everything from admissions dates to where you are with your lineup in terms of injuries, eligibility, a whole lot of things. So, I will never say, ‘We are going to do this for sure,’ or ‘I’m not going to do this for sure.’ It’s something that we examine every day.”

But while Martone and Michael Misa’s futures remain uncertain, as does the full magnitude of McKenna’s commitment when it comes to the future of the NCAA and CHL, the fact that Tuesday’s news conference was streamed on Zoom and included national media members was proof enough that something special is happening in Happy Valley.

“Obviously, this is a huge thing for Penn State and Penn State hockey. And a huge thing for college hockey as well,” Gadowsky said. “So, you’re nervous until it’s done. But, once it was on SportsCenter and done, it felt very, very good. And I’m pumped for the Penn Staters to get to watch this guy.”