NHL's Premier Prospect To Play This Year At PA University

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The top National Hockey League prospect has decided to attend a Pennsylvania university and undoubtedly will be a target of two state teams that desperately could use him: the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.

McKenna, 17, a forward who is the overwhelming consensus to be the top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, recently announced he will attend Penn State - a rising collegiate hockey program.

"Obviously, this is a huge thing for Penn State and Penn State hockey, and a huge thing for college hockey as well," coach Guy Gadowsky told NHL.com. "You're nervous until it's done, but once it was on 'SportsCenter' and done, it felt very, very good, and I'm pumped for the Penn Staters that get to watch this guy."

McKenna is the most prominent player to take advantage of the rule change that takes effect this season that gives Canadian Hockey League players NCAA eligibility. They were considered professionals before because top CHL players had signed NHL entry-level contracts.

Both the Flyers and Penguins could use McKenna.

The Flyers have not made the playoffs since the 2019-20 season. The five-year drought has tied a franchise record for consecutive playoff misses.

The Penguins have not reached the playoffs in the past three seasons and have not won a playoff series since 2018.

But the futility of both franchises offers no guarantee with will land the league's top prospect.

The NHL Draft lottery system decides the first 16 picks involving the teams that did not make the playoffs. The lottery exists to ensure fairness and keep teams from deliberately losing games to acquire a top selection.