Penn State ahead Gavin McKenna, broadly thought of to be the highest prospect within the 2026 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft, was charged with felony aggravated assault on Wednesday by authorities in State College, Pennsylvania, in keeping with paperwork obtained by NCS.
The 18-year-old was additionally charged with easy assault, a misdemeanor and abstract fees of harassment and disorderly conduct.
The alleged offenses occurred on January 31 in keeping with court docket paperwork, the identical day the No. 6 ranked Nittany Lions misplaced in additional time to No. 2 Michigan State in an outside recreation at Beaver Stadium in College Park, Pennsylvania.
According to the State College Police Department, McKenna was concerned in an altercation at roughly 8:45 p.m ET on Saturday. He allegedly struck a 21-year-old male within the face, inflicting accidents that required corrective surgical procedure.
McKenna, the Whitehorse, Yukon native, was arraigned on fees Wednesday and launched on $20,000 unsecure bail.
According to Pennsylvania’s state crime code, the utmost penalty for first-degree felony aggravated assault is 20 years in jail.
NCS has reached out to McKenna’s illustration for remark.
A preliminary listening to is scheduled for Feb. 11 on the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Police acknowledged no additional info could be launched at the moment.
A freshman ahead, McKenna has 11 targets and 21 assists in 24 video games this season whereas main Penn State to an 18-8-0 report this season. Hockey specialists have referred to the Canadian as a generational expertise who would doubtless hear his identify referred to as first at June’s participant draft in Buffalo, New York.
The Nittany Lions hockey program informed NCS it was “aware that charges have been filed” however wouldn’t remark additional.
McKenna dedicated to Penn State after the NCAA lifted its ban on Canadian Hockey League gamers competing on the Division I degree.
McKenna additionally helped Canada deliver dwelling a bronze medal within the World Junior Championships final month, ending the match with 4 targets and 6 assists.