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Keeping It 200: Tigers Star McKenna Hits Milestone as WHL Player of the Month

February 4, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


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.

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.

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 on September 24, 2022, at just 14 years old, 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

LIGHTNING PROSPECT MENEGHIN NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Calgary, Alta.- Medicine Hat Tigers netminder Harrison Meneghin has been named WHL Goaltender of the Month for January, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect went undefeated in January with a 7-0-0-0 record, a 1.55 goals-against average, a .930 save percentage and one shutout.

Meneghin has allowed two goals or less in six of seven games and was named a star of the night on three occasions. The 6-foot-4, 174-pound netminder turned in two of his biggest wins of the season in back-to-back contests against the powerhouse Calgary Hitmen to maintain Medicine Hat's grip on first place in the conference. Meneghin pitched a 20-save shutout against Calgary on January 17 before making 14 regulation saves and four shootout stops the following night in a 3-2 extra-time victory. The South Surrey, B.C. product was a key part of Medicine Hat's clutch 5-0-0-1 U.S. Division road trip and posted 27 saves in crucial wins over the top two teams in the WHL standings, the Everett Silvertips and Spokane Chiefs.

His rock-solid play helped him earn back-to-back WHL Goaltender of the Week awards.

Meneghin is 14-8-0-1 this season with a 2.49 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and two shutouts. He leads all WHL netminders in goals-against average and is tied for second in clean sheets.

The 20-year-old was originally listed by Lethbridge in 2021 and played parts of four seasons with the Hurricanes before being acquired by Medicine Hat early on in 2024-25.

Meneghin is 60-40-7-3 in his WHL career with a 2.67 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and six shutouts. He was nominated for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy as WHL Goaltender of the Year in 2024 and was also named a Central Division First-Team All-Star.

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Meneghin in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

Medicine Hat (33-15-2-1) puts its 12-0-0-1 point streak on the line as the team returns home to host the Swift Current Broncos (25-20-1-1) on Friday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. MST.

2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Month

September/October: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips

November: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)

December: Raiden LeGall, Everett Silvertips

RAIDERS DEFENCEMAN RUDOLPH NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY

Calgary, Alta.- Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for January, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.

The 16-year-old led all first-year players with two goals and 13 assists for 15 points and a +15 rating in 13 games.

Rudolph went on a stellar 12-game point streak and only missed the scoresheet in one game in January. He registered his first WHL multipoint game with two assists as the Raiders edged the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-4 on January 10. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound blueliner followed it up with two more two-assists, including a third-star performance in a 3-0 shutout of the Red Deer Rebels on January 11.

Rudolph and his teammates' impressive stretch saw the Raiders go 9-3-0-1 through January to jump from third in the East Division to first.

The Lacombe, Alta. product has four goals and 22 assists for 26 points in his first 42 WHL games, sitting fourth in scoring among all rookie defencemen.

Rudolph was selected by Prince Albert with the first overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

In November, he helped Canada White clinch a gold medal at the 2024 U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ont.

Rudolph is eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Prince Albert (27-15-3-1) is on an 8-0-0-1 point streak as they make tracks for Calgary to take on the Hitmen (30-13-3-2) on Wednesday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m. MST.

2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Month

September/October: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips

November: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans

December: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips

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