Projected First Overall NHL Draft Pick Gavin McKenna Charged With Felony Assault

Gavin McKenna’s meteoric rise toward NHL superstardom has slammed into a massive off-ice collision.

The Penn State hockey phenom — widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft — is dealing with serious legal trouble after cops say he was involved in an alleged late-night fight near campus over the weekend.

A Pennsylvania court docket filed on Wednesday charges the 18-year-old forward with aggravated assault for attempting to cause serious bodily or causing injury with extreme indifference … along with misdemeanor assault and other lesser charges.

The arresting officer filed McKenna’s charges on Saturday — the same day Penn State men’s hockey played its first-ever game at Beaver Stadium. McKenna scored a goal in the 5-4 overtime loss.

Details surrounding the alleged incident are still unclear … but one person reportedly suffered a broken jaw, according to Onward State, a Penn State student-run website that first reported the news.

McKenna’s case is awaiting a preliminary hearing.

He has been tearing up the hockey world and rocketing up draft boards … but with the NHL Draft spotlight blazing and scouts watching closely, his future could hinge just as much in a courtroom as it does on the ice.