Yukon's Gavin McKenna breaks Canada Games scoring record - Action News
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Yukon's Gavin McKenna breaks Canada Games scoring record

Yukon's 15-year-old hockey phenom Gavin McKenna has made history at the Canada Games, having set a new record for points scored in a men'stournamentat the games.

15-year-old phenom had already taken the games by storm this week

A hockey player wearing a Yukon jersey skates down the ice.
Team Yukon's captain Gavin McKenna on the ice at the Canada Winter Games in Charlottetown on Tuesday. McKenna set a record on Thursday, for most points scored in a men'stournamentat the games. (Basil Eldho)

Yukon's 15-year-old hockey phenom Gavin McKenna has made history at the Canada Games, having set a new record for points scored in a men'stournamentat the games.

McKenna hadalready taken the games on P.E.I. by storm this week, helping the Team Yukon men's squad rack up more wins thanever at the event.

Then on Thursday, McKenna's first-period goal against Newfoundland and Labrador, followed by a third-period assist, put him in the history books. That game took him to 29 points for the week.

"It's unbelievable," McKenna said after thegame.

"It's a cool thing for sure, and obviously couldn't have done it without my teammates. They were unbelievable. Coaching, trainers, it was unbelievable."

The previous record was 27 points, set by Quebec's Francois Methot in 1997, and then repeated by New Brunswick's Kelsey Tessier in 2007 the year McKenna was born, and in his hometown of Whitehorse.

McKenna was selected as first pick by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2022 Western Hockey League Draft a first for any Yukon player.Scouts say he's already seen as a potential top pick when he's eligible for the NHL draft in 2026.

"Hopefully my career keeps going," he said.

'Definitely overwhelming,' says proud mom

Back in Whitehorse, Gavin's parents have been following the excitement from afar. It's always "nerve-wracking," to watch him play, said mom Krystal McKenna.

Gavin is a Tr'ondk Hwch'in First Nation citizen who grew up in Whitehorse and gothooked on the game at a young age. His parents both played hockey soit was easy to pass along their love of the game to their only son.

A smiling family of five poses for a portrait.
The McKenna family poses for a family portrait in 2022. Back row from left is dad Willy McKenna, sister Madison and mom Krystal, with Gavin McKenna, front left, and sister Kasey. (Joe Mason)

Still, Krystal admits that the attention Gavin's received this week has been "definitely overwhelming."

"My phone's been going pretty crazy, definitely for the last couple of days here, and I can't even imagine what he's been going through," Krystal said.

"I think one of the words he used was, it's 'absurd.' Everyone, when he walks around the area, is basically saying like, 'oh, is that Gavin McKenna?' And they want pictures and they want autographs and they're introducing themselves to him and yeah, it's a lot for sure."

Krystal says she hasn't even been able to talk to Gavin much on the phone this week, but he's keeping in touch everyday with texts. She figures it's "just something I guess we have to get used to."

A group of hockey players in action on the ice.
Team Yukon takes on Team Nunavut at the games on Monday. Yukon defeated Nunavut 11-6, with McKenna scoring 6 of those goals. (Paul M McLeod/Canada Games)

Gavin's parents are already preparing to not see much of him this summer. He's gotsome training camps and tournaments in the coming months.

Krystal says she's doesn't like the idea of her 15-year-old sonbeing away so much, but they're proud of him and want him to follow his dreams. He's very groundedand mature for his age, Krystal says.

They're are also confident that he's in good hands when he's away, Krystal says, with a supportiveteam and coaches who help keep him on track.

"It feels like for meat least, as a mom, that every time I see him he's, you know, just a little bit older and a little bit different, a little bit more mature. And, you know, you definitely kind of feel like you missed out on some of it, with him being away," Krystal said.

"But yeah, we just make the memories when we can."

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story said McKenna's first-period goal on Thursday was his 29th point of the week. In fact, a subsequent assist was the 29th point.
    Feb 24, 2023 6:31 PM CT

With files from Dave White and Arturo Chang