Gavin McKenna chose Penn state this season. He is going to be the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but which teams are going to gun for him in the next draft?
Gavin McKenna is being projected as the no.1 overall pick for the 2026 NHL draft. He going to lead the Nittany Lions in the National Championship. The team is going to play their first Nationals after reaching the Frozen Four in the last season.
His early achievements in the junior levels have made him a serious contender in the 2026 NHL draft. Gavin McKenna will be expected to get up and running as soon as he joins any NHL team in the 2026 season. But, what are the chances for some teams to grab McKenna and claim the best pick for themselves? Let’s go through them one by one-
The San Jose Sharks did not have a good season last year. In fact, with a record of 20-50-12 and only 52 points to their name they were the worst team playing last season. They are in the middle of an important rebuild this season and their chances are still low.
However, the Sharks will try to land Gavin McKenna in order to bring success and talent in their lineup. They have young talents like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa. The Sharks are looking forward to a bright future with a young roster and McKenna can be the key for their successful rebuild.
The Blackhawks are gearing up to a bright future with Artyom Levshunov and Anton Fronded, who are the second and third overall pick in the 2024 and 2025 NHL draft respectively. With McKenna they can use the duo of Connon Bedard and Gavin McKenna to solidify their chances.
Chicago’s goal scoring was on point last season with an average of 3.78 goals per game and second most goals in the season. The Blackhawks may have finished last in Pacific Division in 2024-2025 season but they are not gonna back down from improving their chances for the playoffs.
The Pittsburgh Penguins finished last season with 80 points to their name and a record of 34-36-12. They would like to pair McKenna with Sidney Crosby. Crosby’s career is coming to a closer and McKenna can be the best partner for him to grow and become his replacement.
The rumors also point towards the fact that Pittsburgh is willing to make some important trades in order to land McKenna in their roster in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Penguins are going to stake it all for claiming the no.1 pick.
The Boston Bruins have extremely low chances of making the playoffs this season. They finish the previous season with their worst record in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are projected to land a pick in the top ten in the NHL drafts next year.
They may even let their 2025-2026 season go down in hopes of claiming the no.1 next year. After all, the Bruins have always been strong competitors for a playoffs spot. However, the 2025-202 season is going to be a rather inconvenient time for them.
The last time Sabers were able to land the no.1 overall pick was in 2021, with Owen Power. They are holding the longest playoffs drought in NFL currently. The Buffalo Sabers made their last playoffs appearance in 2010-2011. They were also among the bottom finishers last season.
The Sabers finished the last season with a record of 36-39-7 in the Eastern Conference and 79 points to their name. They may sacrifice yet another season in hopes of landing the no.1 pick, Gavin McKenna in 2026. The current predictions for the Sabers don’t look too good this season.
Gavin McKenna is going to be an important name in the 2026 NHL draft. The rookie will himself amidst a silent war between the various teams trying to claim him. One thing is for sure, wherever McKenna lands a contract- he will have to deliver from the first match itself. His future will depend a lot on his first season in the NHL with these aspiring teams.
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