Tigers McKenna Named WHL Player Of The Month For January
Calgary, Alta.— Medicine Hat Tigers alternate captain Gavin McKenna has been named WHL Player of the Month for January, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
It’s the second time this season he’s earned the monthly award, in addition to Tempo WHL Player of the Week honours on December 2, 2024.
The Whitehorse, Yukon-born sensation tallied seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 11 games since returning from the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
McKenna put up nine multipoint games in January, highlighted by a hat trick (which included two shorthanded goals) and an assist in a dominant 7-3 win over the league-leading Everett Silvertips on January 29. He also added a goal and two assists in a tight 3-2 win over the powerhouse Spokane Chiefs as the Tigers went 5-0-0-1 on their U.S. Division road trip.
#WHLWednesday Night in The Dub 🤝 Gavin McKenna.
It's a hat-trick for the 17-year-old sensation!
📺 | https://t.co/mJMVx4PnYd@tigershockey pic.twitter.com/1wusXyQqEP
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 30, 2025
The 17-year-old also hit a major milestone on January 31 against the Portland Winterhawks. With a goal and two assists in a 7-2 victory, McKenna hit 200 career points in his 118th career regular season game. He’s the third-fastest skater to hit the mark in the WHL’s internet era (1996-on), trailing only reigning NHL Rookie of the Year and legendary Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard (107 games) back in 2023 and Calgary Hitmen star Pavel Brendl, who only needed 96 games to hit the milestone back in 1999.
McKenna is also riding the longest active point streak in the league with 59 points (18G-41) in 26 straight matches dating back to November 4, 2024.
The 6-foot, 165-pound winger has 27 goals and 61 assists for 88 points and a +40 rating in 42 games and leads all WHL skaters in assists while sitting second in points. He’s tied for second in scoring across the entire CHL. Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall (Spokane Chiefs) is one point ahead.
Gavin McKenna just being Gavin McKenna.@TigersHockey | #2026NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/B3IY3i1niy
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) January 11, 2025
Medicine Hat selected McKenna with the first overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. The youngster quickly impressed with four assists in his WHL debut at just 14 years old on September 24, 2022, though he wasn’t eligible to play with the team full-time. He erupted for 97 points (34G-63A) in his rookie campaign last season, setting a franchise record for points by a 16-year-old rookie and winning the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy and WHL Rookie of the Year (he also picked up CHL Rookie of the Year later that spring).
He boasts 65 goals and 138 assists for 203 career points in 119 regular season contests, in addition to another seven points (3G-4A) in nine playoff tilts.
On the international stage, he’s captured gold for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World U18 Championship and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and picked up a goal as the youngest Canadian player at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
McKenna is eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Medicine Hat (33-15-2-1) is on a 12-0-0-1 point streak to maintain its hold on first place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference.
The Tabbies return home to host the Swift Current Broncos (25-20-1-1) on Friday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
2024-25 WHL Player of the Month
September/October: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
November: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
December: Oliver Tulk, Calgary Hitmen
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
