NHL
Gavin McKenna and Penn State played an outdoor game on Saturday. Matthew O'Haren / Imagn Images
Gavin McKenna, a Penn State hockey forward and one of the top prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft, was charged with felony aggravated assault on Wednesday by police in State College, Pa., according to court documents.
McKenna, who turned 18 on Dec. 20, is also facing a misdemeanor assault charge and summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. A source close to McKenna confirmed that he is the person charged in the case.
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The charges were first reported by Onward State, a Penn State student publication. According to the court documents, the incident took place on Saturday, the same day Penn State played Michigan State in an outdoor home game in front of nearly 75,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.
The documents note that McKenna is now awaiting a preliminary hearing, with no date yet set. State College police did not immediately respond to requests for comment and further information about the alleged incident.
In a written statement provided to The Athletic, John Hanna, Penn State athletics’ associate director of strategic communications, said: “We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment.”
McKenna is in his first season with the Nittany Lions after three seasons in the junior-level Western Hockey League, during which he emerged as a potential No. 1 NHL Draft pick — and the first hockey player worthy of a six-figure NIL deal. Once considered the top draft-eligible prospect, McKenna was ranked at No. 4 on The Athletic’s most recent list of prospects, owing largely to an uneven first few months of NCAA hockey. In 26 games this season, McKenna has 11 goals and 21 assists, which ties him for the team lead with 32 points.
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Sean Gentille is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the NHL. He previously covered Pittsburgh sports with the The Athletic and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the NHL for Sporting News, and he’s a graduate of the University of Maryland. Follow Sean on Twitter @seangentille
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