Breaking News: Felony Charge Against NHL Prospect Gavin McKenna Dismissed – What It Means for His Future

Penn State’s hockey standout, Gavin McKenna, will no longer face a felony aggravated assault charge, as confirmed by the Centre County District Attorney’s Office on Friday.

McKenna, widely anticipated to be the top pick in this June’s NHL draft, was initially charged with four counts by the State College Police Department following a confrontation that took place on January 31. This incident coincided with a significant outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, where 74,575 fans witnessed Penn State’s men’s hockey team compete against Michigan State.

Though the District Attorney’s Office has decided to drop the aggravated assault charge—which could have resulted in a maximum 20-year prison term under Pennsylvania law—the case will proceed with misdemeanor simple assault and other related charges. These are linked to the severe injuries sustained by the victim. McKenna’s preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday.

According to the police report, McKenna allegedly struck a man twice on the right side of his face following a verbal altercation between the man’s group and McKenna’s companions at Doggie’s Pub after the Beaver Stadium game.

The report initially claimed that the victim suffered fractures to both sides of his jaw and had a missing tooth. However, further investigation by State College Police clarified that the man sustained two fractures to one side of his jaw without any missing tooth. The victim has since undergone surgery and is in recovery.

McKenna, 18, was initially charged with first-degree felony aggravated assault, which is defined as “attempts to cause serious bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference”; misdemeanor simple assault; and two summary counts of disorderly conduct for harassment and engaging in a fight.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, to establish probable cause for a felony charge of aggravated assault meant establishing that McKenna “acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or acted recklessly under circumstances showing an extreme indifference to the value of human life.”

Based on a review of video footage taken from the pub and street cameras, both the District Attorney’s Office and the State College Police Department do not believe that a charge of aggravated assault is supported by the evidence.

The District Attorney’s Office said it is withdrawing the felony count and correcting the record regarding the injuries the man suffered.

Penn State’s men’s hockey program said it would not comment on an ongoing legal matter. The NHL told ESPN earlier this week that it is aware of the charges against McKenna but offered no comment, as he is not a player in the league yet.

McKenna, a high-scoring winger from Canada, stunned the hockey world last year by opting to leave Canadian junior hockey for Penn State’s men’s hockey program. In 2024, the NCAA ruled that Canadian junior players were now eligible to play on Division I teams, ending a decades-old policy that made young athletes choose between the CHL and college hockey. McKenna was one of the first Canadian junior players to make the jump to the NCAA. His NIL money for attending Penn State is “in the ballpark” of $700,000, a source told ESPN at the time.