Gavin McKenna, Other Top CHL Stars To Make 2025-26 NCAA Hockey Debuts

At 17, top 2026 NHL draft prospect Gavin McKenna will suit up for the NCAA’s Penn State University in the 2025-26 season. (Photo by Leila Devlin/Getty Images)

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Last November, when the door was opened for players from the Canadian Hockey League to make the jump to NCAA hockey, the CHL did its best to paint the change in a positive light.

“We believe this is a positive development that will provide our players with more opportunities to continue their hockey and academic careers following their time in the CHL,” said media relations manager Christopher Seguin at the time.

But older players aren’t the only ones taking advantage of the new landscape. With training camps in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League set to open over the next week or so, a number of top stars with remaining CHL eligibility have chosen to commit to NCAA programs.

The biggest news was Gavin McKenna’s decision to commit to Penn State University at just 17 years old. Named player of the year in both the CHL and the WHL in the 2024-25 season, McKenna is the top-ranked prospect for the 2026 NHL draft.

In what will likely be his final season before he turns pro, he’ll be skating with a Nittany Lions program which joined the NCAA’s Division I in 2012 and reached the Frozen Four for the first time last spring. Coach Guy Gadowsky has been at the helm since 2011 and this year, his son Mac Gadowsky joins the team after being named a top 10 finalist for the 2025 Hobey Baker Award as a sophomore at Army.

Losing McKenna is a massive blow to the star power of the WHL for the upcoming season, and he’s not the only top prospect to jump ship. Defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, who had a breakout campaign with the Victoria Royals in 2024-25 and could be a top-five pick himself, has signed on to skate at the University of North Dakota this fall.

Though the new season is now just around the corner, moves are still happening. When the news broke on Monday that projected 2026 first-rounder Adam Valentini is leaving the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers to join the University of Michigan after a strong showing for Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, his former general manager did not hold back his disappointment.

These three players from the class of 2026 are just the tip of the iceberg. Sportsnet has been tracking all the players from the CHL who have made NCAA commitments and while there are many 20 and 21-year-olds opting to make the jump to continue their development and education, the list also includes number of top stars from the two most recent NHL draft classes who still have CHL eligibility.

Every player’s development path is different. For some, the CHL grind that more closely mirrors an NHL workload might ultimately prove to be better preparation for the pros. Others will benefit from the additional gym time and the academic and social advantages that are part of the college experience.

It will take years before we start to see the full impact of this rule change. For now, here’s a look at prospects selected in the top two rounds of the 2024 and 2025 NHL drafts who were drafted out of the CHL but will be skating in the NCAA this fall.

2025 NHL Draft

No. 6 – Porter Martone (RW) – from OHL Brampton Steelheads to Michigan State

Big and talented, Martone is a prototypical power forward who fits with the gritty image of the NHL team that drafted him, the Philadelphia Flyers.

No. 10 – Roger McQueen (C) – from WHL Brandon Wheat Kings to Providence College

Quickly took on the identity of ‘Lightning McQueen’ after he was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks. Makes the jump to Providence after missing significant time due to injuries over the past two seasons.

No. 14 – Jackson Smith (D) – from WHL Tri-City Americans to Penn State

This big defenseman announced his commitment in early June, after winning gold with Canada at the World U18 Championship.

No. 18 – Cole Reschny (C) – from WHL Victoria Royals to North Dakota

Another U18 gold medalist, Reschny and his Royals teammate Verhoeff head to Grand Forks after the Fighting Hawks missed the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three years.

No. 43 – Malcolm Spence (LW) – from OHL Erie Otters to Michigan

Projected by many as a first-round pick, Spence slipped to the New York Rangers in the second round after announcing his decision to leave Erie for Michigan in mid-May.

No. 58 – Jack Ivankovic (G) – from OHL Brampton Steelheads to Michigan

The fifth goalie selected in 2025 when he went to the Nashville Predators, Ivankovic originally announced his commitment to Michigan for the 2026-27 season, but will now join the Wolverines this fall.

2024 NHL Draft

No. 4 – Cayden Lindstrom (C) – from WHL Medicine Hat Tigers to Michigan State

At 6-foot-3 and more than 200 pounds, Lindstrom was dominating his WHL opposition before injuries derailed the second half of his draft year. A long rehab process got him healthy enough to skate in the playoffs with Medicine Hat and at the World Junior Summer Showcase. He’ll continue his development with the Spartans.

No. 45 – Ryder Ritchie (RW) – from WHL Medicine Hat Tigers to Boston University

Also part of the WHL Champion Tigers, Ritchie announced his decision to join NCAA hockey nearly a month before his teammate McKenna made his commitment official.