Blackhawks Unlikely to Target Gavin McKenna in 2026 NHL Draft Amid Off-Ice Concerns
Gavin McKenna’s road to the 2026 NHL Draft just got a lot more complicated-and it was already a tightrope walk.
Once the consensus top prospect in his draft class, McKenna has been navigating a tougher-than-expected transition from junior hockey to the college ranks. And now, after a recent off-ice incident that led to multiple criminal charges, his draft stock is facing serious headwinds.
The incident in question involved a physical altercation where McKenna allegedly punched a 21-year-old man in the jaw. While the felony charge was later dropped, he’s still facing three misdemeanor charges. It’s the kind of situation that forces NHL teams to take a hard look-not just at the player, but at the person.
McKenna’s talent has never really been in question. He earned the “generational” label during his time with the Medicine Hat Tigers, a tag that always comes with both hype and pressure.
But as scouts watched him compete against older, more developed players in college, the evaluations became more nuanced. His skill set remains elite, but he hasn’t quite separated himself from the rest of the top-tier prospects the way many expected.
Even before the off-ice issues emerged, there were whispers around the league that the Chicago Blackhawks weren’t sold on McKenna as their guy-regardless of where they land in the draft lottery. Now, those whispers have grown louder.
According to multiple sources, the Blackhawks were leaning away from McKenna even before the incident, and the recent developments have only solidified that stance. While he’s shown flashes of brilliance at the college level and had a productive showing at the World Junior Championships, others in the 2026 class have made strong cases of their own.
Names like Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff, and Tynan Lawrence are generating serious buzz. Each brings a different flavor to the table, and depending on what a team values-whether it’s two-way play, dynamic skating, or high-end hockey IQ-there’s a real debate to be had at the top of this draft.
Scott Powers of The Athletic was among the first to report that the Blackhawks are “mostly out” on McKenna at this point. That doesn’t mean he won’t go early-talent like his doesn’t just disappear-but it’s a clear sign that teams are weighing more than just on-ice performance.
And that’s the reality McKenna now faces. Between now and draft day, he’ll need to do more than just rack up points. Teams will want to see growth, maturity, and accountability-traits that matter just as much in NHL locker rooms as a wicked wrist shot or elite vision.
There’s still time. The draft is months away, and the hockey world has seen redemption stories before. But for a team like the Blackhawks-who are building a young core and trying to establish a strong culture-character and fit are non-negotiables.
Whether McKenna can regain his footing and earn back the trust of NHL front offices remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the path to being the No. 1 pick just got a lot steeper.