OTTAWA -- Gavin McKenna knows it will be difficult to follow in the footsteps of the last two 17-year-old players who wore the uniform of Canada's junior team.
But if anyone is capable of measuring up to Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, it's him.
The forward with Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League, who has been projected as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, leads the WHL with 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists) in 30 games. He is the most productive of the 19 forwards invited to Canada's selection camp for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship this week.
"They set the bar pretty high, but obviously that's the goal, to work toward those guys," McKenna said of Bedard and Celebrini. "They're so talented, and they're so early on in their careers, and they've already proven themselves to be such talented players. So to kind of follow in their footsteps, hopefully, that would be pretty cool.
"It's an honor to be invited to a camp like this. It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid. But the job's not finished. I've got to prove myself and work for a spot on this team. So that's what I'm going to keep working toward."
It's unlikely that Hockey Canada executives will be able to pass up such a talent for the 2025 WJC after the Canada's fifth-place finish at the 2024 WJC.
"Gavin's an elite player" vice president of hockey operations Scott Salmond said. "Obviously he's got incredible talent. He's an elite skilled player. He's got vision and talent and skill, and I think he's a player that can contribute up and down your lineup. I think he gets a lot of attributes because of his offensive ability, but he's a kid who's committed on both sides of the puck as well."
With that kind of praise right from the start of camp, all indications are that there are high expectations for McKenna, who turns 17 on Dec. 20. And it's a good thing for him that the recent performances of Bedard and Celebrini have paved a path.
Each was by far the best player when they played for Canada at the WJC as a 17-year-old.
Bedard led Canada to a gold medal at the 2023 World Juniors with a tournament-best 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in seven games, setting Canada WJC records for most assists and points in a single tournament. Celebrini, though not as much of a standout, led Canada at the 2024 WJC in goals (four) and points (eight) in five games.
Should expectations be tempered in McKenna's case?
It's a high-pressure environment, especially with the tournament being held on home ice in Ottawa, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5, 2025.
"These are bright lights," Salmond said. "This is a big tournament, and for a young player, and we've seen it, you know, you've seen it with Connor Bedard, you've seen it with all the young players who come here, it's a challenging environment to perform in. But I think we have a program that challenges these kids, too, at World Championships, Hlinka Gretzky [Cup] is under bright lights as well.
"And so although it's a little bit different, I think that players of that ilk kind of have an expectation of themselves. And I think that we've got some good people around him and some leadership here, too, that can help lead him through that."
McKenna helped Canada win gold at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with a tournament-best 10 goals and a Canada-high 20 points in seven games. He followed that with six points (three goals, three assists) in five games on the way to winning the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August. He is at home in international competition.
"Yeah, for sure it gives me confidence playing with some of those guys there," McKenna said. "And having them here brings confidence and comfort in a way. But it's a new tournament, so I've got to just make sure I'm as ready as possible. And I can't let that tournament get to my head."
Of course, this is another level. McKenna has no problem standing out when facing the best players in his age group. But he has yet to compete against players who are older and more physically developed.
"I'm not a huge guy (6-foot, 165 pounds), but I think I've kind of learned," McKenna said. "I've played against guys pretty big in the [WHL] for the last few years now, so it kind of prepares me for this. And having those super talented guys around me to kind of help me out, I think that'll help as well.
In his first full season with Medicine Hat last season, McKenna had 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 61 games, even though he was a few inches shorter and several pounds lighter than he is now.
"He's a super-special player and he deserves to be here," said forward Brayden Yager, a Winnipeg Jets prospect who plays in Lethbridge of the WHL. "Obviously the staff picked him to be here for a reason. And you see the things that he's doing this year in Medicine Hat. So I'm not too worried about him, and I don't think anybody is. I think that he's going to be a really key part of this team."
Canada coach, Dave Cameron has yet to get to know McKenna on a personal level, but he is well aware of what the phenom can do on the ice.
"He's skilled, I mean, he's really skilled, and he doesn't seem to be intimidated by the spotlight," Cameron said. "But he's only one part of this team. It's not about individuals. When you have a best-on-best tournament, the best team wins because everybody's the same in the talent pool. You get the best from every country, so there's not going to be much difference. Whoever gels as a team is going to win."
