Report: Penn State's Gavin McKenna broke man's jaw

Field Level Media
06 Feb 2026, 05:49 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

When highly regarded NHL prospect Gavin McKenna was charged with felony assault Wednesday, it was reportedly for breaking a man's jaw and knocking out his tooth with a pair of punches.

According to The Athletic, which reviewed police reports and court documents, the 18-year-old Penn State freshman was involved in an altercation Saturday night shortly after leaving Doggie's Pub -- a College Avenue bar across the street from Penn State's campus.

McKenna and his group encountered the alleged victim and his group at a nearby parking garage. After an 'exchange of words,' McKenna punched the man twice in the face. The man was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where a local policeman spoke to the man and his friends.

In addition to being charged with felony aggravated assault, which can lead to as much as a 20-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine, McKenna has been cited for a misdemeanor assault charge along with summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.

McKenna, who hails from the Canadian town of Whitehorse, Yukon, was regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the upcoming NHL draft when he made the decision to leave the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers and enroll at Penn State last fall.

The 6-foot, 170-pound wing has amassed 11 goals, 21 assists and 34 penalty minutes in 24 games for the Nittany Lions, who rank as the nation's No. 6 team per USCHO.com. McKenna paces the squad in assists and shares the team lead in points.

--Field Level Media

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