Gavin McKenna (Ranked #2 on my list):
Projection: First Liner
Strengths: Handles and playmaking, Hockey IQ and vision, Skating and footwork
Weaknesses: Defensive aspects of the game, Physicality
Analysis:
The best way I could describe McKenna’s game would be using the
analogy that he has the NHL’s EDGE goal visualizer implanted in his
brain. The way he has a sixth sense of knowing wherever everyone is on
the ice at all times allows him to anticipate the play before it
happens, find passing lanes and open players unlike any other, and
dictate or control the game to his liking. If the puck is on his
stick, he will find a way to create a play, not just any play, the
correct play. His stick handling and puck control are through the
roof, he has a dangerous shot he can take from anywhere on the ice,
his skating and stride are almost elite, and he is reliable
defensively. He played center when he was in Medicine Hat, so he’s
capable of taking a faceoff, which just adds to his versatility. He
honestly has it all, with the only flaw being that he needs to “grow
up”, putting on some extra muscle and becoming a formidable physical
threat.