UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Freshman phenom Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, Yukon) was added to the roster for Team Canada ahead of the 2026 IIHF World Championship set to take place in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland from May 15-31.

McKenna, the projected No. 1 overall pick in this summer’s NHL Draft, was named alongside four current NHLers as additions to the Canadian roster earlier this week. The final roster will be revealed in the coming weeks as Canada looks to win its first gold medal at the Men’s World Hockey Championship since 2023.

McKenna becomes the first player to represent Penn State at the World Championships.

The rookie set nine program records this season and finished the year as just the third Nittany Lion all-time to hit the 50-point mark in a single season. Of note he set the freshman single-season record with 51 points, the second-most all-time on 15 goals and another single-season record 36 assists.

McKenna finished the season third in the Big Ten and tied for fifth nationally with his 51 points while his 36 assists were good for second nationally only behind Michigan’s Michael Hage. The rookie also set the Penn State record by averaging 1.46 points per game, a mark good for tops in the Big Ten and second in the nation.

The Whitehorse, Alberta native was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year along with landing on the All-Big Ten Second Team and being unanimously voted to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He was also Penn State’s second Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalist and just the fourth All-American in program history.

McKenna was also twice named the HCA National Rookie of the Month in October and February while earning four Big Ten weekly awards including First Star of the Week on a pair of occasions.

Back in February, McKenna set additional program records with eight points and seven assists in an 11-4 victory over Ohio State helping the Nittany Lions to their most goals scored in a Big Ten game all-time and tying the overall single-game program record for goals.

Five of McKenna’s seven assists were primary assists while the eight points were the most in an NCAA Division I game in 39 years. His seven assists that night were the most in a game since 1983 and the most-ever by an individual on a Big Ten team both pre and post league inception.

The eight points and seven assists were each the most in a single-game all-time in the 13 years of the Big Ten Conference.