NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna scans up ice with the puck in his own end in the first period of the Tigers 3-0 preseason win against the Swift Current Broncos at Co-op Place on Sept. 17.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Gavin McKenna hasn’t seen a McKenna jersey in the crowd just yet in his hockey career. But it won’t take long for the 14-year-old to get that experience.
McKenna is set to make his Western Hockey League debut Saturday night at Co-op Place against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, four months after he was drafted first overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The Tigers’ top prospect had a strong showing in three preseason games, putting up a goal and two assists. He said he has a little bit of nerves but is really excited to make his debut.
“It’ll be a big change going from midget hockey to this,” McKenna said. “I’ve got a little taste of what it is in the preseason, so I should be kind of used to it, but it’s obviously going to be a lot faster, bigger guys, it’ll be good though.”
The Whitehorse, Yukon product said his parents and family will be in attendance for the game. He won’t be giving them a tour of Medicine Hat just yet as he hasn’t fully explored it himself with training camp keeping him busy. McKenna said he’ll have his family at his billet house for dinner.
Coming off the draft, McKenna is only eligible to play in five regular season games with the Tigers unless he is recalled due to an injury at the WHL level or until his club team, the Dunmore-based South Alberta Hockey Academy’s season comes to a close. McKenna is already looking forward to the moment he gets to join his teammates and become a full-time Tiger.
“It’s going to be awesome, (Hayden) Harsanyi and I have been talking just how awesome it’s going to be when we’re finally as old as these guys and having fun, but it’s been awesome,” McKenna said. “All the guys have been pushing me on and off the ice. They’ve been helping me, if I forget to do something, they’ve been telling me and they’ve all just been awesome to me.”
He said he hasn’t received any special treatment from his teammates because he was the first overall pick, he’s just one of the guys.
“They treat me as one of them, I’m part of the family,” McKenna said. “You’re all in the room together, nobody acts different towards me, they’ve all treated me great.”
Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said he’s been impressed with McKenna and said if it wasn’t for the WHL’s age restriction, he would be a Tiger all year.
“He sees the ice really well for anybody in our league, great vision, he’s confident with the puck,” Desjardins said. “He’s able to play against big boys, he’s done a great job really. If he was older, he’d be with us.”
Desjardins said he sees things from McKenna he hasn’t seen from anyone in a while and said he has a good attitude at a young age.
“Some guys feel they’re entitled, he doesn’t feel he’s entitled,” Desjardins said. “He’s not a player that thinks, ‘Oh because I was picked here I’m entitled to this,’ he doesn’t. I think he comes from a really good family that put in really good values with him and he expects to work for everything he’s going to get.”
McKenna is donning No. 72 after wearing 27 with RINK Kelowna last season. With Tigers defenceman Bogdan Hodass already wearing 27, McKenna chose 72 because his favourite childhood player, Jonathan Drouin, wore 27 and because of his birth year, 2007.
When he eventually joins SAHA, Desjardins said what McKenna and most young players need to work on is their pace and defensive abilities. He cited Tigers alumni and Edmonton Oilers prospect James Hamblin.
“Jimmy Hamblin’s getting a chance up and he was a great offensive player in our league but the reason he’s getting a chance is because of how good he is defensively,” Desjardins said. “Guys don’t realize that will make a big difference for them, if they’re good defensively and I think that’s something that every young player has to work on.”
McKenna is looking forward to scoring his first WHL goal and has put a little thought into his on-ice celebration afterwards. His main focus is doing what he can to be the guy for the Tigers in years to come.
“Obviously a little bit of pressure but it’s all good. We have a great young group of guys coming in and I’m looking forward to that for sure,” McKenna said.
