- Gavin McKenna won’t suit up for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland
- The projected No. 1 pick is staying back to train and prep for the NHL Combine in Buffalo
- Read below for the agent’s full explanation, McKenna’s Penn State numbers, and what’s next
Gavin McKenna is staying home.
The projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft has decided against playing for Canada at the World Championship in Switzerland next month, opting instead to focus on training for the NHL Draft Combine. The 18-year-old’s agent, Matt Williams of CAA Hockey, confirmed the call to NHL.com on Friday.
“It’s better for his development to stay back, prepare for the NHL Combine and start his summer training,” Williams said. “I know we thought he was going, but it just makes more sense. (Canada) has a deep team.”
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger broke the news earlier in the week:
Canada opens its tournament against Sweden on May 15 in Zurich, with the event running through May 31. McKenna’s camp and Hockey Canada called it a mutual decision. With NHL veterans filling out the bulk of the roster, the move spares McKenna a short overseas trip with a Combine looming back in North America.
Buffalo’s KeyBank Center hosts the Combine from June 1-6, the same building that’ll host the draft three weeks later. Top prospects go through fitness testing, medical exams, and team interviews that often shape draft boards as much as anything they did on the ice.
McKenna had himself a year at Penn State. He finished tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games, was second nationally at 1.46 points per game, and won the Big Ten scoring title. The Whitehorse, Yukon native was also a top-10 Hobey Baker finalist.
Take a look at his 2025-26 reel:
Toronto won the No. 1 pick at the draft lottery on Tuesday, putting McKenna squarely in the Maple Leafs’ crosshairs. San Jose holds the second selection and Vancouver picks third.
He’s been working out and skating in Kelowna, B.C. ahead of the Combine, and Williams said his client is locked in.
“Gavin’s very excited,” Williams said. “He’s in great spirits and is excited about the summer and what’s next.”
