Willie Desjardins has always cut an intense figure behind the bench.
Every so often when he was guiding the Vancouver Canucks from 2014 through 2017, the razor-focused head coach would crack a smile at something Henrik and Daniel Sedin 91裸聊视频� a pair of future Hall of Famers 91裸聊视频� had pulled from their bag of tricks.
Desjardins now experiences eerily similar moments watching Gavin McKenna from the same perch with the Western Hockey League91裸聊视频檚 Medicine Hat Tigers.
And he expects Canadians will feel something along those lines when the baby-faced forward expected to go No. 1 at the 2026 NHL draft dons the red Maple Leaf at the world junior hockey championship.
91裸聊视频淚t was like, 91裸聊视频楬ow do you do that stuff?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Desjardins said of the Sedins. 91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檒l get that with Gavin 91裸聊视频� he91裸聊视频檒l make a play and you just have to laugh.91裸聊视频�
Set to turn 17 on Friday, the six-foot, 165-pound winger from Whitehorse leads the WHL in scoring with 19 goals and 41 assists for 60 points across 30 games. McKenna still holds an eight-point edge in the race despite having already missed four contests while away with the men91裸聊视频檚 under-20 national team.
91裸聊视频淭he first thing that sticks out is just how hard he is to defend,91裸聊视频� Canadian centre and Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager said. 91裸聊视频淪o quick and agile. Not the biggest guy, but super sneaky.91裸聊视频�
McKenna learned how to leverage his frame as a youngster against older players growing up in Yukon91裸聊视频檚 capital as he searched for the best competition available.
91裸聊视频淜nowing where to be at the right times,91裸聊视频� he explained of the benefits. 91裸聊视频淵ou have to play with a little bit of caution. Playing against those older, bigger guys at such a young age, it gets you ready for this.91裸聊视频�
The world juniors and thoughts of an NHL career were distant dreams when McKenna was first carving up his hometown91裸聊视频檚 frigid outdoor rinks. But fellow Whitehorse product Dylan Cozens, who won 2020 gold with Canada and now plays for the Buffalo Sabres, showed what was possible.
91裸聊视频淕rew the sport a lot,91裸聊视频� McKenna, a friend of Cozens91裸聊视频� younger brother, said of the No. 7 pick at the 2019 NHL draft. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 super motivating for all of us kids up in Whitehorse.91裸聊视频�
McKenna, however, would leave the north to continue his development at an even younger age than most, living with a billet family during the 2021-22 season after signing on at a hockey academy in Kelowna, B.C., at age 14.
91裸聊视频淒efinitely tough,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淏ut my parents came down quite a bit.91裸聊视频�
Desjardins first saw McKenna out west before travelling to Nashville for a showcase tournament.
91裸聊视频淗is vision was incredible,91裸聊视频� said Medicine Hat91裸聊视频檚 coach/GM. 91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檇 make a play and you go, 91裸聊视频業 can91裸聊视频檛 believe that.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
Selected first overall by the Tigers at the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, McKenna registered 97 points over 61 games in 2023-24 91裸聊视频� his first full season 91裸聊视频� to win Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year honours. He also helped his country capture gold at the under-18 world championship and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
McKenna is now been turning heads with teammates as they churn towards the world juniors, which run Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Ottawa.
91裸聊视频淪pecial with the puck,91裸聊视频� said defenceman and Philadelphia Flyers first-round selection Oliver Bonk. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 on a string.91裸聊视频�
Fellow blueliner Tanner Molendyk, a Nashville Predators prospect playing for the WHL91裸聊视频檚 Saskatoon Blades, said the opposition is always aware of McKenna.
91裸聊视频淒oes stuff not many people can,91裸聊视频� Molendyk said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e probably been a victim of him walking me.91裸聊视频�
Porter Martone of the Ontario Hockey League91裸聊视频檚 Erie Otters played with McKenna at the U18 level.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the 91裸聊视频榳ow91裸聊视频� factor he brings,91裸聊视频� said the forward expected to be among the top NHL picks in 2025. 91裸聊视频淣ever really know what he91裸聊视频檚 gonna do with the puck.91裸聊视频�
Hockey Canada91裸聊视频檚 Peter Anholt, who runs the country91裸聊视频檚 under-20 program looking to rebound off last year91裸聊视频檚 disappointing fifth-place showing, has a pretty good idea.
91裸聊视频淕avin could, by the time it91裸聊视频檚 all said and done, be our best player 91裸聊视频� he91裸聊视频檚 that good,91裸聊视频� said Anholt, also GM of the WHL91裸聊视频檚 Lethbridge Hurricanes. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l see if the bright lights affect him, but I put my bets on him.91裸聊视频�
McKenna is hoping to leave a stamp on the world juniors the same way Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini did as underage Canadian stars at the last two.
91裸聊视频淪et the bar pretty high,91裸聊视频� said McKenna, a distant relative of Bedard by marriage. 91裸聊视频淭o follow in their footsteps, hopefully, that would be pretty cool.91裸聊视频�
Hockey fans could be talking a lot about Gavin McKenna in the weeks ahead.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 really young,91裸聊视频� Desjardins cautioned. 91裸聊视频淏ut they91裸聊视频檒l see somebody that91裸聊视频檒l make plays tons of people can91裸聊视频檛. They91裸聊视频檒l see a guy that91裸聊视频檚 always attacking. He91裸聊视频檚 a pretty special player.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檒l be really exciting to see him in this tournament.91裸聊视频�
The veteran coach might even sneak a smirk from his couch.
