Whitehorse hockey phenom Gavin McKenna capped off a great season with a short run in the Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs as a member of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Tigers were swept in four games by the Winnipeg Ice, who finished 46 points (57-10-1) ahead of them in the WHL standings.

Before that, McKenna starred with the South Alberta Hockey Academy in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL), where he led the league in six categories:

• Points: 75
• Goals: 37
• Assists: 38
• Pts/game: 2.88
• PP goals: 11
• SH goals: 4

“It was good, for sure,” recalled McKenna. “Our team had a good year. We won the Mac’s tournament – the Circle K – that’s a big accomplishment for our team. And to get those scoring race titles, I couldn’t have done it without my line mates.”

McKenna’s line mates were Kade Duell and Kadon McCann.

“They were definitely a big help to me.”

McKenna also won WHL Rookie of the month for March, scoring four goals and six assists for 10 points in six games in March.

According to the WHL, Mckenna had a four-game goal-scoring streak from March 11 through March 24.

He recorded four multi-point efforts in his final five appearances of the 2022-23 WHL regular season before making his WHL playoffs debut March 31 in Winnipeg.

He also produced a +6 rating over the month of March.

“Again, my line mates were good,” said McKenna. “That was definitely a big factor to that.

“And just the team. We were in a playoff push. And we were desperate for those wins. So everybody was chipping in.

“It was good. Because I think it brought momentum to me and my line, which helped a lot.”

McKenna played with Brendan Lee and Tyler MacKenzie in the Hat.

He said being up fulltime up with the Tigers definitely resulted in more of a comfort level for him.

“Getting those points, it brought more confidence as well. So as I went on, I got more comfortable and confident.”

McKenna recorded 18 points (4G, 14A) in his 18 career WHL regular season games.

In the series against Winnipeg, McKenna scored his first playoff goal in Game 3 on a one-timer from the slot on the power play.

“It was cool, for sure. We were down quite a bit, so it wasn’t really a big goal but I think it’ll be big for me in the future. Just having that playoff experience.”

He also hit a post in Game 4.

McKenna said the series was good overall.

“I thought we played well. Obviously, Winnipeg, they’re one of the best teams in the CHL (Canadian Hockey League). So it was a tough series but I think we held our own. We outshot them every game. But a couple of bounces weren’t going our way and if they did go our way, I think it would have been a different series. But I thought we played well, played hard for sure.”

McKenna finished the series with the one goal, 12 shots, and a -2 rating.

Regarding his own personal play, McKenna said, “I thought it was good. Like I said, Winnipeg were just such a hard team to play against. But I think it was a good experience for me, for sure. Just to get that playoff experience against such a high-end team. So going into the future it’ll help a lot.”

McKenna said compared to the regular season, the playoffs were definitely more intense.

“Every play matters and it’s a bit more gritty style hockey. So it’s a little tough being an undersized guy, well, not really undersized but just like not being used to the league but it was good experience for sure.”

Mckenna learned a lot from his limited experience in the WHL.

“You gotta move your feet all the time. I had a two on one and I think if I kept moving my feet we probably could have scored.

“And then watching Winnipeg play, like even their high end skill guys, they work hard, which is like, kind of unexpected, just because of how talented they are, but they all work hard. So it makes it just that much harder to play against. So I think I took those two things away from the playoffs and regular season.”

McKenna is eligible to play a full season for the Tigers next year. He’s home in Whitehorse until mid-June.

“I’m heading out to Michigan. I have a camp in LA with my agency. And then I have the U17 Canada tryouts in Calgary in July.”

McKenna will be training in Michigan for most of the summer with the US development program.

“I don’t train with the NHLers, but Jack Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Kyle Connor and lots of guys who come back from the NHL come and train there.”

As for what McKenna will be working on this summer, “Definitely putting on some weight and muscle. I think that will help my shot and speed a lot. So just focusing on those two things going into next year.