College hockey is in a great place as the 2025-26 season gets underway, with the first games being played last weekend.

The NCAA decision to grant eligibility to Canadian Hockey League players has opened the door to an unprecedented influx of high-end players and set the stage for a boost in the caliber of play.

The biggest of those players to make the move from the CHL to the NCAA is Gavin McKenna, a freshman forward with Penn State University.

McKenna, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, joined the Nittany Lions after finishing second in the Western Hockey League with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games with Medicine Hat last season, and being named player of the year in the WHL and CHL.

"Overall the level of play is going to be outstanding,"Providence Col

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