Led by McKenna, Medicine Hat is up 3-1 on Swift Current in its best-of-7 first-round series. Game 5 is Friday at Medicine Hat.
“He brings so many elements that I think you have to include many players when you think of comparing him,” Central Scouting senior eastern scout Jean-Francois Damphousse said. “Patrick Kane and the quick hands, the creativity. He’s got the high compete, reliability of a Sidney Crosby. He’s got a lot of elite parts of his game, and the way he’s shown it on the big stage at an early age is even more impressive.
“His skill set, his mind for the game and the way he’s able to make plays that, looking from the stands, didn’t even exist. He’s just an elite player in a lot of categories.”
Are there similarities to what McKenna is doing and what Connor McDavid did during his draft-eligible season with Erie in the Ontario Hockey League, when he had 120 points (44 goals, 76 assists) in 47 games in 2014-15?
“McKenna does it in a different way,” Williams said. “McDavid was able to just physically blow by people and do things. There have been those guys at a young age who could really skate and they get by people, get chances, but it kind of peaks out a little early because they don’t have the skill to make plays. Even if McDavid wasn’t the skater he is, he’d still be a great player. McKenna’s so smart with the puck, away from the puck.
“McDavid would dictate things so much, he would just jump out at you because he’s got the puck and he’s doing everything. McKenna is a little bit more in the weeds.”
McKenna got his 200th WHL point against Portland on Jan. 31 in his 118th regular-season game, making him the third-fastest skater in the league to hit the mark since 1996, behind Regina center Connor Bedard (107 games, in 2023) and Calgary right wing Pavel Brendl (96 games, 1999).
“When McKenna’s got the puck and when he’s creating and he’s trying to find that time and space, that’s where he’s gifted,” Central Scouting’s Nick Smith said. “He sees the ice so well, sees everything that’s happening, and he’s just got that elite, non-teachable gift.”
Fans can watch McKenna or any other WHL prospect eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft for free on Victory+. The opportunity for free streaming of WHL games will extend into the 2025-26 season.
