Junior
McKenna was the first Yukon-born player to be drafted first overall in the Western Hockey League (WHL), being selected in the 2022 bantam draft by the Medicine Hat Tigers. Although he was granted exceptional player status by BC Hockey and Hockey Alberta, the third such player after Connor Bedard and Matthew Savoie, he did not receive exceptional player status with the WHL. [3] [4] [5] He recorded four points in his WHL debut, and finished his first season with 18 points in 16 games. He also appeared in 26 games at the under-18 prep level with the South Alberta Hockey Academy, recording 75 points. [6]
In his first full WHL season in 2023–24, McKenna recorded 34 goals and 97 points in 61 regular season games. [7] In recognition of his achievements, he received the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL's rookie of the year. McKenna called it "a true honour." [8] He also won the CHL Rookie of the Year Award as the best in the three CHL component leagues, [9] and was also named to both the CHL's Third All-Star Team and its All-Rookie Team. [10]
In advance of the 2024–25 season, the Tigers named McKenna an alternate captain. Beginning on November 6, he embarked on a lengthy point streak that extended to 36 games on March 7, breaking the 21st century WHL record held jointly by Connor Bedard and Logan Stankoven. [11] The streak continued until the end of the season, finishing at 40 games. McKenna failed to register a point in three games in the whole season, recording 41 goals and a league-leading 88 assists in 56 games. His 129 points was second in the WHL, behind Spokane Chiefs forward Andrew Cristall. McKenna received the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL's most valuable player. [12] His point streak extended as the Tigers made a deep run in the playoffs, finally ending at 54 games when he failed to record a point in the second game of the WHL Finals. [13] After missing the third and fourth games of the Finals with an undisclosed injury, McKenna returned for the title-clinching fifth game, where the Tigers defeated the Chiefs to claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup. [14] He had 9 goals and 38 points in 16 playoff games, the most of any Medicine Hat player. [15] As WHL champions, the Tigers competed at the 2025 Memorial Cup, where they reached the championship final, but were defeated by the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights. McKenna tied for second in tournament scoring, and scored his team's lone goal in the final. He was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. [16] With the postseason at an end, he received the David Branch Player of the Year Award from the CHL. At age 17, he was the third-youngest player given the distinction, with John Tavares and Sidney Crosby the only 16-year-olds so honoured. [17]
Collegiate
Following the 2024 decision of the American National Collegiate Athletic Association to allow CHL players to be eligible to play in collegiate competition starting with the 2025–26 season, [18] McKenna became the target of significant recruitment campaigns by major American universities. As well, the WHL made what was widely interpreted as a bid to retain him, scheduling two Medicine Hat Tigers pre-season games in McKenna's hometown of Whitehorse. [19] On July 8, 2025, McKenna announced that he had committed to joining Pennsylvania State University's Nittany Lions for the 2025–26 season, citing a desire to play "against older, heavier, stronger guys" as preparation for a professional career. [19] The Hockey News called his decision to leave the WHL "a huge blow" to Canada's traditional major junior leagues, auguring a new era for youth development in North American hockey. [20] As part of his recruitment to Penn State, it was reported McKenna will receive up to US$700,000 in name, image and likeness compensation. [21]
