Just minutes after they selected him first overall at the 2022 Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft, the Medicine Hat Tigers announced they have signed Gavin McKenna to a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the club.
McKenna has spent the last two seasons in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna. He joined the program in 2020/21 with their U15 Prep team, although he did not suit up for a game due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The forward would return to RHA Kelowna in 2021/22, playing as an underage player with their U18 Prep team. Despite his underage status, McKenna led all U18 Prep skaters with 42 assists and 65 points in just 35 games.
The Whitehorse, YK product owns the distinct honour of being the first ever player from the Yukon to be selected first overall in the WHL Draft.
McKenna became the first CSSHL student-athlete since Connor Bedard (West Van Academy/2020) to be selected first overall, and the sixth in league history joining Bedard, Matthew Savoie (Northern Alberta Xtreme & RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg/2019), Dylan Guenther (Northern Alberta Xtreme/2018), Kaiden Guhle (OHA Edmonton/2017), and Ty Smith (Delta Hockey Academy/2015).