Earlier this week, projected 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna committed to Penn State University. He is undoubtedly a massive pickup for the school, as he dominated the Western Hockey League (WHL) over the last few seasons. This past campaign with the Medicine Hat Tigers was his best, though, as he had 41 goals and 129 points in 56 regular-season games and 38 points in 16 playoff games.
With how wonderfully McKenna has played at the junior level, many believe he will be a superstar at the NHL level. Because of this, next year’s draft lottery should have just as much hype as it did during Connor Bedard’s draft year in 2023.
Because of this, let’s look at five teams who could have a real shot of winning next year’s draft lottery and selecting McKenna.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Could the Pittsburgh Penguins get their next face of the franchise in McKenna next year? It certainly should not be ruled out. They finished last season with a 34-36-12 record and did not address their major roster needs this off-season.
The Penguins are rebuilding and currently sport one of the weakest rosters in the NHL. Players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson are also among the league’s top trade candidates, so there is a possibility that the Penguins could get worse before the season is here.
The Penguins also desperately need a young star talent like McKenna, especially with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the later stages of their careers. It will be interesting to see if they end up being the lucky club that lands him.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks finished at the very bottom of the NHL standings for the second year in a row this past campaign. Thus, they stand out as a potential landing spot for McKenna.
The Sharks made some nice moves this off-season, bringing in Dmitry Orlov, John Klingberg, Nick Leddy, Alex Nedeljkovic, Adam Gaudette and Philipp Kurashev. With this and the club having several young players on the rise, it would not be particularly surprising if the Sharks are a bit more competitive next season. However, they likely still have more work to do before they significantly climb up the NHL standings.
If the Sharks won the draft lottery and picked McKenna, he would only make their excellent prospect pool even better. A trio of McKenna, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith would be incredible for a Sharks team on the rise to build around.
Chicago Blackhawks
After bringing in several new players in free agency last year, the Chicago Blackhawks elected not to be big spenders this time around. The Blackhawks will instead be looking for their talented young players to take big steps forward in 2025-26.
While it is completely understandable that the Blackhawks have had a quiet off-season, it also seems likely that they will once again be in the bottom portion of the NHL standings in 2025-26. With this, they certainly stand out as a potential landing spot for McKenna at next year’s draft.
McKenna landing in Chicago would also make for a fun story, as he is a cousin-by-marriage to Bedard. However, more importantly, McKenna would give Bedard another elite talent to work with as the Blackhawks look to take that next step.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers have made some interesting additions this off-season, as they have brought in Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak and Dan Vladar. While they have added to their group, they still have work to do before they compete for a playoff spot and could be a lottery team next year.
While they signed a solid backup in Vladar, goaltending is still the biggest question mark on the Flyers’ roster right now. They do not have a proven starting goaltender, and this could make them near the bottom of the NHL standings again next season.
There is no question that adding McKenna would be significant for the Flyers, as he would provide them with another top youngster to build their core around. Could you imagine the Flyers having McKenna and Matvei Michkov on their roster? That duo would make some real magic together.
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken brought in some new players this summer, including Mason Marchment, Ryan Lindgren and Frederick Gaudreau. While adding to their depth was certainly important for the Kraken, it is hard to predict that these moves will be enough for the Kraken to move up in the standings next season.
When looking at the Kraken’s roster, it is clear that they still do not have a game-changing forward that all playoff teams need. However, winning next year’s draft lottery and picking McKenna would help change things on that front. There might not be a team out there that needs a player like McKenna more than Seattle right now.
Honorable Mentions
Two other teams who could have a real shot at getting McKenna are the Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators. Both of these teams performed below expectations last season and are wild cards heading into 2025-26.
The possibility of a bounce-back season for the Bruins is there, especially if Jeremy Swayman regains his elite form, and top defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm stay healthy. However, after trading away several former core players at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, there are certainly questions surrounding the Original Six club.
As for the Predators, they will need players like Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos to heat back up offensively if they hope to improve next season. They will also need Juuse Saros to regain his elite form, as the Predators are not an easy team to beat when the star goalie is on his A-game. Yet, if things go south for Nashville again, they could be the team that gets McKenna.
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