Gavin McKenna deciding between playing at Penn State or Michigan State

There appears to be a two-headed race for one of the top players in junior hockey.

Gavin McKenna, the projected first-overall pick for the 2026 NHL Draft, is still deliberating over where he will play next season.

As Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Monday on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, McKenna went for visits with four schools and has narrowed down his destinations to two.

"He did some Zooms, he did Penn State, he did Michigan State, he did Michigan, and he did Denver," Friedman said. "It sounds like it's probably coming down to Penn State, who we guessed, and Michigan State."

Friedman initially reported on a prior episode that Penn State emerged as a serious destination for McKenna.

A traditional football power, Penn State jumped into the NCAA Division I ranks in men's hockey in 2012-13 with a big financial assist from university alumnus and Buffalo Sabres/Bills owner Terry Pegula.

The Nittany Lions reached the Frozen Four for the first time this season.

Top CHL players to commit to Penn State this off-season include Tri-City Americans defenceman Jackson Smith, a projected first-round pick in Friday's NHL Draft, and Calgary Flames prospect Luke Misa, a Brampton Steelheads centre.

Cayden Lindstrom, McKenna's Medicine Hat teammate and a top Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, recently confirmed his commitment to Michigan State. Vancouver Canucks prospect Anthony Romani, a Barrie Colts forward, also is bound for the Spartans.

McKenna is coming off a season in which he led the Tigers to the Memorial Cup final and was the third-youngest player to be named CHL Player of the Year.

The 17-year-old recorded 129 points in 56 games and had an impressive 40-game point streak, which he extended to 54 games during the WHL playoffs.