Gavin McKenna, Penn State hockey star and potential No. 1 NHL pick, has felony assault charge dropped

Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna will no longer face a felony charge stemming from his involvement in an altercation that occurred at a bar in State College, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night. 

McKenna, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, was initially charged with felony aggravated assault after an incident at Doggie's Pub in the hours after Penn State's outdoor game against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium. However, Centre County district attorney Bernie Cantorna wrote in a statement Friday that the felony charge against McKenna has been dropped following a review of video evidence and learning the extent of the man's injuries -- which weren't as severe as initially reported.

McKenna, 18, still faces a misdemeanor count of simple assault and summary offenses of harassment and disorderly conduct. He has a preliminary hearing for those charges scheduled for Feb. 11.

The complaint says the alleged victim "was punched twice on the right side of his face" following "an exchange of words between the alleged victim's group and the group of people with McKenna." According to the Centre Daily Times, the injured man was "heckling McKenna and his mother after the game."

The initial complaint alleged that the victim "sustained fractures to both sides of his jaw," requiring surgery, and was "missing a tooth." However, a police investigation determined the victim "sustained two fractures to one side of his jaw ... and was not missing a tooth." The man "had surgery and is recovering," Cantorna said. 

"In order to establish probable cause for the crime of Aggravated Assault, the Commonwealth must establish that a person acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or acted recklessly under circumstances showing an extreme indifference to the value of human life. Both the District Attorney's Office and the State College Police Department have reviewed video evidence of this incident and do not believe that a charge of Aggravated Assault is supported by the evidence," Cantorna said in a release from the District Attorney's office. 

"Accordingly, the District Attorney's Office will be withdrawing the felony count of Aggravated Assault and correcting the record regarding the injuries suffered by the victim. A review of the video does not support a conclusion that Gavin McKenna acted with the intent to cause serious bodily injury or with reckless indifference to the value of human life."

McKenna, a freshman forward from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, has 32 points -- 11 goals and 21 assists -- in 24 games this season for the Nittany Lions. McKenna, touted before his arrival at Penn State as a potential generational prospect, had a goal and had two assists on Saturday. 

Prior to his arrival at Penn State, McKenna starred as a 17-year-old in the Western Hockey League in Canada, posting 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) for the Medicine Hat Tigers in 58 regular season games, and helped lead them to a WHL championship. Thanks to an NCAA rule change, McKenna is part of the first class of young Canadian stars who played at the top junior levels in Canada to be allowed to play college hockey in the United States. 

McKenna's status with the Penn State hockey team is unclear. The Nittany Lions (18-8) next play on the road against Michigan on Feb. 13.