Yukon hockey phenom to announce NCAA plans today

Gavin McKenna is almost certainly NHL-bound, but first, he’s making a stop in the NCAA. 

The 17-year-old Yukoner is expected to announce today he’s committing to the Penn State Nittany Lions, to play collegiate hockey.

McKenna will make the announcement on ESPN’s SportsCenter at 3 p.m. YT today. CBC North has confirmed he’ll be joining Penn State.

Widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NHL draft, McKenna leaves the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers to join the United States college ranks.

McKenna had 41 goals and 88 assists in 56 regular-season games last season and helped Medicine Hat win its first WHL title since 2007 and reach the Memorial Cup final.

In June, the six-foot winger became the third-youngest Canadian Hockey League player of the year, only Sidney Crosby and John Tavares were younger.

The NCAA lifted a long-standing ban in November, allowing CHL players to compete at U.S. colleges starting next season.