NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna celebrates after assisting on Oasiz Wiesblatt's overtime, game-winning goal in a 7-6 Game 3 win at Lethbridge over the Hurricanes on April 29.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
A fact already known by those who watch him every night, Gavin McKenna is the WHL’s best in 2024-25.
The Medicine Hat Tigers forward was named the WHL’s player of the year Wednesday, receiving the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy.
McKenna is the fourth Tiger to be named player of the year, the first since Kris Russell in 2007. He was named the WHL’s player of the month twice in the regular season and tabbed the player of the week three times. He was named to the Eastern Conference first all-star team.
“Obviously I couldn’t have done it without all my teammates, had a special group around me all year, so without them it wouldn’t have been possible,” McKenna said on the WHL’s Draft show Wednesday. “It’s been pretty special for me and my family. I’ve been receiving quite a few texts. This was a goal of mine at the start of the year and for it to finally be here is pretty cool.”
Head coach Willie Desjardins coached Russell in 2007 when the former NHLer also won CHL and WHL defenceman of the year. He says McKenna’s honours speak to his relentless drive to win.
“Kris Russell was a heck of a player for us, an unbelievable guy, and so is Gavin. Both guys were leaders on their team and found ways to be successful for some rounds in the playoffs,” Desjardins said.
“For Gavin, it speaks just a lot about his consistency. When you look at his point streak, the one thing I’ve talked about, one of his biggest strengths, he’s always ready to attack, like every shift. He’s hungry, he doesn’t go without a shift where he’s not hunting. Then, along with the hunt, he’s got the skill to complete the hunt as well.”
The 17-year-old Whitehorse, Yuk. product rose to new heights in his sophomore season, coming second in the scoring race with 41 goals and 129 points in 56 regular season games. He led all WHLers in plus/minus and assists, tied for fifth in goals and third in shorthanded goals with four.
He was held pointless in just three games all season, finishing the regular season with a 40-game streak that has risen to 53 games entering the WHL’s Championship Series, setting a modern Canadian Hockey League record (2000-present) for points in consecutive games (regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup).
He’s recorded 79 goals and 244 points in 133 WHL regular season games, becoming the third-fasted player in modern WHL History to reach 200 points, doing so in 118 games. McKenna was named the CHL and WHL’s rookie of the year for the 2023-24 season.
Desjardins says there’s not a lot he can say about McKenna’s play, the young star has done all the talking for him on the ice.
“He’s got it inside him where he wants to win, he just wants to win, he can’t help himself,” Desjardins said. “It’s not like he thinks about points more than winning, he just likes winning. So he’ll battle when there’s points in the game that he needs to track. He’s a good all-around player, he’s got a great stick. People are surprised at how good he is defensively.
“So I can’t really say any more, what he’s done speaks for itself. I don’t really have to speak for it. With the numbers he put up, what he’s done, it speaks for itself.”
McKenna and the Tigers get set to face the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL finals with Game 1 Friday at Co-op Place.
Two Chiefs, Berkly Catton and Andrew Cristall, were also nominated for the WHL’s Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for player of the year. The three other nominees were Kyle Chyzowski (Portland Winterhawks), Oliver Tulk (Calgary Hitmen) and Max Hildebrand (Prince Albert Raiders).
The WHL’s top individual award is named the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy in memory of the four members of the Swift Current Broncos who died in a tragic bus accident on Dec. 30, 1986.
The four players – Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff – all died when the Swift Current bus crashed en route to a game in Regina.
“In order that we never forget this incident, we have named this trophy in memory of these four young men,” said the late Ed Chynoweth, who served as WHL Commissioner from 1973-79 and 1980-95. “Like hundreds of other players before them, and hundreds that will follow, WHL players spend countless hours riding the bus in pursuing their hockey aspirations. By naming the Most Valuable Player Trophy in honour of these four players, hopefully we will never forget the sacrifice given by these young men.”
Until 1993-94, the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy was presented to the Most Valuable Player in the WHL. Since 1994-95, it has been awarded to the WHL Player of the Year.
