Felony charge against top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna dropped

Penn State hockey standout Gavin McKenna will see his felony aggravated assault charge dismissed, according to an announcement from the Centre County District Attorney’s Office on Friday.

McKenna, who is widely regarded as the top overall prospect in this June’s NHL draft, faced four charges from the State College Police Department following an incident on January 31, coinciding with a game where 74,575 fans attended the Penn State men’s hockey team’s outdoor match against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium.

The District Attorney’s Office stated that while the aggravated assault charge has been dropped – which could have led to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison under Pennsylvania law – they will continue with misdemeanor simple assault and other summary offenses “as they relate to the serious injuries incurred by the victim.” A preliminary hearing for McKenna is set for Wednesday.

The police report indicated that McKenna allegedly punched a man twice on the right side of his face following a verbal exchange between the man’s group and McKenna’s friends after a “hockey event” at Doggie’s Pub post-Beaver Stadium game.

The report also claimed that the man suffered fractures to both sides of his jaw, necessitating surgery, and had lost a tooth. yet, State College Police later clarified that the man only sustained two fractures on one side of his jaw and did not lose a tooth. The man underwent surgery and is currently recovering.

At 18, McKenna was initially charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault, which involves “attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference”; misdemeanor simple assault; and two summary charges of disorderly conduct for harassment and fighting.

To warrant a felony aggravated assault charge, the District Attorney’s Office explained that it needs to be shown that McKenna “intended to cause serious bodily injury or acted recklessly in a way that showed extreme indifference to human life.”

After reviewing footage from both pub and street cameras, the District Attorney’s Office and State College Police Department concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to support a felony aggravated assault charge.

The District Attorney’s Office has stated they are retracting the felony charge and amending the record pertaining to the victim’s injuries.

Penn State’s men’s hockey program stated that it would refrain from commenting on the ongoing legal situation. The NHL informed ESPN earlier this week that it is aware of the charges against McKenna but declined to comment, as he is not yet a player in the league.

McKenna, a prolific winger from Canada, made headlines last year by choosing to leave Canadian junior hockey to join Penn State’s men’s hockey program. In 2024, the NCAA changed regulations to allow Canadian junior players to compete on Division I teams, lifting a long-standing policy that forced young athletes to decide between the CHL and college hockey. McKenna was among the first Canadian junior players to transition to the NCAA. His NIL earnings while attending Penn State are reportedly around $700,000, a source revealed to ESPN at that time.