Scouting Report
EVALUATED 08/08/2023
Brayden Olafson
Utilizing one of the most efficient, adaptive and elongated strides in the class, TJ Hale's speed was front and center in every one of his games at this event. The elusive skater was a prominent transition player on a shift to shift basis for many reasons. Predominantly with the puck, Hale was capable of exploding through coverage, and getting the puck deep to set his team up for a sustainable cycle play. While his speed was a factor when it needed to be, he was more than capable of stepping up at the proper time to establish a long-term possession. His passing ability was another valuable skill-set, as he was often capable of putting pucks through momentary lanes over long and short distances to maximize the value of a particular play. Without the puck he had a creative ability to sneak around coverage, making himself a threatening outlet before even getting the puck. In doing so, he made his teammates offensive aspirations more probable, and often more fruitful.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 20/05/2022
Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
He began the year as the number one player and I’m not sure there is any substantial reason to take that away from him despite some electric performances from a few players trying to close the gap. Gavin is a December-born 2007 who is still not close to being done with his physical development too which makes all the commentary on him even better. Gavin skates with terrific secondary positioning off the rush; both while forechecking or while a puck carrier is advancing. He does a terrific job of finding passing lanes and supportive positioning. He’s got a fluid slapshot, terrific wrist shot accuracy, high-level anticipation of stick pressure and the ability to adapt and shift on his inside edges to evade. All of his skills work together in tandem of tight turns, quality positioning, and the ability to execute when the puck is on his stick. Any slight issues or things to come with his development will certainly be ironed out as he adds more size and strength. I certainly anticipate Gavin to be the number one selection in the upcoming draft.
Scouting Report
EVALUATED 06/05/2022 Joel Henderson
Director of Scouting
Projectable Skills - Offensive creativity, slap shot/wrist shot, High Hockey IQ
Development Opportunities - Size and Strength. Defensive details.
He began the year as the number one player and I’m not sure there is any substantial reason to take that away from him despite some electric performances from a few players trying to close the gap. Gavin is a December-born 2007 who is still not close to being done with his physical development too which makes all the commentary on him even better. Gavin skates with terrific secondary positioning off the rush; both while forechecking or while a puck carrier is advancing. He does a great job of finding passing lanes and supportive positioning. He’s got a fluid slapshot, terrific wrist shot accuracy, high-level anticipation of stick pressure and the ability to adapt and shift on his inside edges to evade. All of his skills work together in tandem of tight turns, quality positioning, and the ability to execute when the puck is on his stick. Any slight issues or things to come with his development will certainly be ironed out as he adds more size and strength. I certainly anticipate Gavin to be the number one selection in the upcoming draft.
Skating
9Puck Skills
10Hockey IQ
10Playmaking
9Scoring
10Physicality
6Defense
7Overall
8.71Game Reports
EVALUATED
Ben Jordan
Regional Scout - Ontario
Gavin is simply a treat to watch. He does things with the puck that are unimaginable and not replicated with this age group. The ease at which he can read and then manipulate defenders is simply outstanding. Today he was attacking defenders, pushing them back into their own zone, and using all sorts of dekes to get around opponents. On a couple of occasions Gavin deferred to teammates that were in busy lanes as supposed to taking shots, but that’s nit-picking. His defensive reads were sharp today as well, intercepting passes and getting the puck headed the other direction very efficiently.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Noah Poirier
Regional Scout - USA
I’m starting to sound like a bit of a broken record but McKenna has been the most dynamic player in the tournament. He is almost untouchable on the ice when the puck is on his stick, making quick one touch moves to keep the puck on his stick. One occasion, he was trapped in the corner being checked and he was able to open his hips and easily go inside out and keep the puck while avoiding danger.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Ben Jordan
Regional Scout - Ontario
Gavin was extremely efficient and dynamic in this one. His small area play was extraordinary. He used deception while stickhandling and moving at full speed so effectively and created space all over the ice using those skills. His vision was on display as he was feathering cross-ice passes with ease, and precision through sticks and skates, and had absolutely no issues using his speedy hands to get around the defender defending the blueline. He was rewarded with a nice bounce on his lone goal which was nice to see as he was consistently taking the puck to the net and surrounding danger areas. Gavin showed exceptional compete, and I am very excited to see how that mentality translates going forward in this tournament as the medal round approaches.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Noah Poirier
Regional Scout - USA
When you have to have 2 players glued to you all game to keep you off the scoresheet, that truly tells you how dominant you are in your age group. There was a span of 30 seconds where McKenna had the puck being hassled by defenders using headfakes and quick pivots to shake them off while keeping the puck on a string the whole time. A normal player would have lost control or turned it over but McKenna isn’t a normal player. He took his time and protected the puck until an opening came for him to feed Reschny in front. The chemistry those two have right now is unmatched and they went through 3 different linemates throughout the game trying to find the right fit. Even while being shadowed most of the game, he was able to find time and space in between the dots to get his shot away.
Game Reports
EVALUATED
Donesh Mazloum
Regional Scout - Western Canada
Having seen McKenna’s flying start to the WHL season, I came into this viewing expecting him to look a step ahead of his peers. He did not disappoint in this first game as he wasted no time making his presence known, jumping on the scoresheet early by scoring on a pretty 2-on-0 give and go passing play. If his first goal was the amuse bouche of his talent his second goal was the main course. He tracked back hard as Finland tried to exit the zone, unleashed a really clever stick lift from behind to puck jack the exiting defender, turned the attack back towards the Finland net one-on-one, hesitated and faked his way into some separation from the defender, before he finally sniped it top shelf with zip and pinpoint accuracy. He is so sublime in his puck handling, is shifty with his hand, head, and body positioning, carries speed well throughout a shift, possesses a deceptive release, and is incredibly creative in how he breaks down a defensive structure. He is one of the best players in the world at this age and his first game of the tournament was an emphatic reminder. To add a cherry on top of the night, in addition to scoring both Canada Red goals in regulation he also scored on his opportunity in the shootout to help secure the victory.
Game Reports
EVALUATED
Jordan Malette
Regional Scout - Ontario
This was my first viewing of McKenna, and just wow. What impressed me the most was his constant invitation for defenders to challenge him. McKenna was deliberately at a standstill or a slow glide, waiting for a defender to approach him. The second they got close, Gavin would spin in the opposite direction and explode up ice, leaving them in his rearview mirror. It was a game of cat and mouse, and the mouse knew the cat could never catch it. Once he exploded up ice, McKenna dominated in transition, going untouched end to end almost every time he touched the puck. New Brunswick did a solid job defending him, even doubling-teaming him in many instances. His rushes didn’t always amount to chances, but constantly navigating through the neutral zone with control was impressive. Finally, McKenna displayed tremendous awareness of his teammate’s whereabouts over the ice. He completed a few unbelievable no-look passes to teammates on the weakside for scoring chances that caught the defence completely off-guard. I could go on and go about what Gavin showed in this game. He was the heart and soul of Yukon’s offence, and it was a treat to watch.
Game Reports
EVALUATED
Brayden Olafson
Regional Scout - Ontario
Although not what I might consider a major test for the WHL’s former first overall selection, I would say that of all the games so far in this tournament, PEI gave Mckenna the most resistance in the form of defensive structure that he’s likely faced to date. Considering his advanced skating and technical skill, Mckenna often had the choice between attacking into traffic or going around. He usually opted for the latter, safer path in this game, which I certainly cannot fault him for. The sheer attention drawn by Mckenna was a major factor, as he used his speed and selection of clear lanes to force defenders behind him and into positions where taking penalties were their only options. His strong body positioning over even the most capable PEI players meant that hooking and other restraining fouls were often risked in order to subdue his impact – some were called, and after a while many were not. Nonetheless, he drew a substantial amount of PEI’s defensive resources, allowing for other teammates to work the open ice. When he was able to break away from the crowd, which in transition was often, and in the offensive zone, slightly less so, his impact was substantial. His ability to negotiate traffic with universal awareness of where space and outlets exist gave Yukon some of the highest quality scoring opportunities through the game. Cycled into open ice on a 5-on-3 in the second period, Mckenna was given a rare unchallenged shooting lane on his forehand for which to demonstrate the absolute lethal power and accuracy of his forehand wrist shot. He rifled the shot into the back cross-bar to put Yukon up 3-2. Through the duration of the game there were a handful of absolute highlight reel technical dekes where Mckenna showcased his skill to shake trailers, and downstream would-be defenders entirely earning the reputation that has preceded him at this event. There were instances in this game where Mckenna was assigned to a cherry picking position simply as a distraction, however, in one such case when the puck didn’t make it’s way to him at his perch, he opted for an abrupt gear change, burning back into is own zone, recovering a loose puck, and subsequently turning the PEI defensive structure into a neutral zone pretzel while the crowd audibly reacted and he streaked in for a solo shot on net. In general, he created his own opportunities, pinching into the PEI transition with physicality and an active stick when and where it counted, forcing the puck loose and using his speed to recover the “50-50”. Considering all of his individual skill and dominance in this game, it goes without saying that Mckenna possesses the highest degree of basic skills to his game. While the context of this game made it in many ways difficult to evaluate how he would respond to more advanced systems, and adversity in a game of more balanced abilities, there’s no question about the strength of the foundation that his game is rooted in. From carrying with his head on a swivel, to the basic mechanics of his stride and beyond, there’s no question as to why he was Medicine Hat’s selection at 1st overall last summer, or of where he currently resides in our PuckPreps North American rankings.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Chase Allen
Regional Scout - USA
Yet another strong game for Gavin McKenna, as we’ve seen throughout the WSI, his long and powerful stride really comes into effect once he gets some open ice. Leading the rush on numerous occasions he seemingly bulldozed through defenders with speed, strength, and finesse, startling both defenders and the goalie as he created something out of nothing on numerous counts. He really had a bias towards attacking off the wing before making a quick move to cut into the middle of the ice as he reached approximately the top of the offensive zone region. Against many of his peers he has outstanding strength on his edges and is nearly impossible to shove off the puck against those even similar in stature to himself.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Chase Allen
Regional Scout - USA
One part of the two-head dragon in Ryan Roobroeck and Gavin McKenna, McKenna was once again strong in this game. His patience with the puck was through the roof, under pressure from 1 or 2 players at once he effortlessly skated around them, opening up ice and scoring chances as a result. The shifts in weight allowed him to manipulate his momentum, drawing defenders in before making some shifty moves on his edges and with the puck on his stick he was nearly impossible to contain and shutdown. The ability to turn nothing plays into something was an asset for McKenna. He assisted on Roobroeck’s goal off a crafty give-and-go play as he sent the puck right into his wheelhouse letting Roobroeck get a one-timer off. The vision, puck skills, speed, and poise make McKenna one dominant offensive force.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Chase Allen
Regional Scout - Ontario
Another one of the top 2007-born skaters Canada has to offer, Gavin McKenna is one of the few players who can argue that are on the level of Ryan Roobroeck. Playing in a u18 league all year its clear that Gavin McKenna is a different player than his competition level. He dominates with his speed and quickness, with great acceleration all it took was a couple strides for him to break the offensive blueline as he went around flat-footed defenseman with speed and quick stick handles. He can adapt to the play at a level few players can, on one play he had cut up the entire Minnesota Fire defense on a rush chance, but his shooting lane was taken away at the very last second, so he quickly pivoted and anchored himself around the net before connecting on a tape-to-tape pass to the open man in the slot. His ability to see the game 2-3 plays ahead of everyone else allows him to make plays defenders simply cannot keep up with.
Game Reports
EVALUATED Brayden Olafson
Regional Scout - Ontario
Gavin McKenna’s intricate and detailed footwork is an exceptional catalyst to his even more exceptional offensive awareness. The Whitehorse native possesses top-notch timing and elusiveness that in this game was on another level relative to his peers. He is able to quickly and seamlessly shift from a conventional forward stride to his inside edges and back, or even into another maneuver. Having this sort of technical flexibility is an incredible advantage in traffic and enables him to outmaneuver most of his opponents with limited time. In this game he could essentially attack any lane of his choosing at will, and have success. His ability to coast along the perimeter of the ice with guarded puck possession in this game allowed him to lull his opponents into a relaxed pace in the defensive zone, before miraculously injecting a quick sequence of footwork and driving into the middle of the ice. He makes quick reads to activate himself into optimal areas of the offensive zone and has the requisite speed to get from point-A to point-B quickly for the execution of an intermediate or finishing play. As undeniably skilled as he is, it was still an imperfect game for McKenna. Considering the scrimmage-like atmosphere there were instances where I felt he could’ve done a bit more to finish off a play. It’s certainly not something I’ll hold against him as this was a game that was over before it started.
Player Card
- All Data is derived via 5v5 per 60 minutes rate displayed in percentile format.
- Data Courtesy of In Slat.
SIGNED:
Medicine Hat Tigers
19/05/2022
LEAGUE PREDICTION
-
CHL
Confirmed
100%
TEAM PREDICTION
-
Medicine Hat Tigers
Confirmed
100%
TIMELINE
- 2022
19/05/2022
Medicine Hat Tigers sign Gavin McKenna
- 2022
19/05/2022
Medicine Hat Tigers Draft Gavin McKenna first overall.