It’s been a tough go for Vancouver Canucks fans this season. After trading away the face of their franchise in Quinn Hughes, Vancouver was setting itself up to tank and get a top pick in the NHL Draft.
The good news is that they’re well on their way to doing that, currently sitting in last place in the league with 2 points; the next closest team is the St. Louis Blues at 49 points.
The bad news is that the projected No. 1 overall pick and player that the Canucks were hoping to get this June is Gavin McKenna, who was just charged with felony assault after a bar fight on Saturday, Jan. 31. The incident occurred in State College, PA, where McKenna lives as he is attending Penn State University and playing hockey.
According to court documents, McKenna has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor simple assault, and two counts of disorderly conduct. The maximum penalty for first-degree felony aggravated assault in Pennsylvania is 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.
According to the State College Police Department, the assault caused facial injuries to the 21-year-old victim that required reconstructive surgery.
The Penn State Hockey program acknowledged the incident but declined to comment further.
“We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment,” the statement said.
McKenna Arrested and Charged in State College
McKenna has been having a strong season with the Nittany Lions in his first year of collegiate hockey. In 24 games, he has recorded 11 goals and 21 assists, good for 32 points, the 14th best tally in the country.
McKenna has long been the consensus No. 1 overall pick in his draft class. He is the best all-around offensive player in the class, with plus-level skill in every aspect of the offensive zone. He spent his three previous seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. He put up 129 points in 56 games in the 2024-25 season.
This is the first year that Canadian Major Junior players were eligible to play college hockey after a long battle determining whether they should have eligibility because of the compensation players got in the CHL. The implementation of NIL ultimately forced the NCAA’s hand in allowing them eligibility.
McKenna, a native of Yukon, Canada, one of the three northernmost territories in the country, made the shocking decision to move to college hockey after a strong showing in the WHL.
Canucks Must Decide Whether McKenna is a Fit if They Get No. 1 Pick
Of course, the NHL began using a lottery system for their draft a number of years ago, so even if the Canucks do finish dead last in the league, they still may not get the No. 1 overall pick. With that being said, they currently have the best odds to get it, at 26.3 percent.
If they do get the No. 1 overall pick and McKenna’s legal situation has sorted itself out, Vancouver will have a tough decision to make. Yes, McKenna has the potential to be a top-10 NHL players, but is it worth the risk of taking on his off-ice issues too?
Canucks Get Horrible News on Projected No. 1 Overall Pick