NHL insider Darren Dreger was not surprised Gavin McKenna left the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers for Penn State University in the NCAA.
"I did have a number of people reach out when he was confirmed that this was happening with pretty big concerns. I get it, I understand it, but what did we think was going to happen?" Dreger said on the SportsCage.
"Best case scenario for all the CHL programs in some way, shape or form, they partner with 125 of the college programs. The perfect formula is that the Canadian Hockey League develops these kids through their NHL Draft year. Not every player is going to be Gavin McKenna and go on top of the first round or high in the first round and likely play in the NHL. Not every player, late first-round players, second-round, third-round, on and on through seven that are ready for the National Hockey League."
Dreger is on the fence about whether more young players from the CHL will follow McKenna's path and attend NCAA institutions if opportunities are presented.
"Maybe they're ready for a higher level than the CHL and that's why Gavin McKenna is doing this. He knows that he's going to be playing in the National Hockey League after next season, so why wouldn't he take advantage of a development path that is now available to him and make a little money in the process? Not a little, a lot of money in the process. That's what he's doing," Dreger said.
"I worry about it because is this going to be the road that every top CHL player takes? We don't know, we hope not, but I think that there's a good relationship between the CHL and the NCAA. I don't think that is going to change and I think by numbers, Gavin McKenna’s are going to be few and far between that make the jump this early."
Looking back, Dreger knew some WHL players who could have gone to the NCAA.
"I think of Kevin Cheveldayoff, captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings, first-round draft pick of the New York Islanders back in the day. He's a sharp dude, always was strong scholastically -- I know he has no regrets, he was a heck of a hockey player. He was and then I think he wrecked his knee and it didn't pan out for him and pro hockey," Dreger said.
"Dwayne Gylywoychuk, remember that name? Big defenceman for the Wheat Kings. He's doing some radio work for the Winnipeg Jets. Again, a very smart guy. You mentioned Marty Murray. I don't know that he was a brainiac. You could tell by having a conversation with Marty Murray as a 16- or 17-year-old that he had his head on his shoulders. Very smart guy, I'm the least surprised of anyone that he's doing what he's doing. I would expect that Marty Murray, when he wants to make a jump, if he does do pro hockey, it's going to be there for in some form. That's the type of player he was, how he thinks the game, the coach that he is, I think that he's in a good place."
