Whitehorse and Fredericton, N.B., may not have the population bases of other Canadian cities, but they do have major reasons to celebrate a stirring hockey triumph on Sunday.
Gavin McKenna, the 16-year-old star from Yukon, and Gardiner MacDougall, the coach of the dynastic University of New Brunswick men’s hockey program, completed outstanding seasons by helping Canada win gold at the world under-18 championship in Espoo, Finland.
McKenna had three goals and an assist as Canada rallied to beat the United States 6-4 in the final. MacDougall, meanwhile, capped a perfect season and extended his personal win streak to an astounding 56 games, per U Sports insider Ben Steiner, after guiding UNB to the national university title earlier this year in Toronto.
“The best feeling in the world,” McKenna, considered a strong candidate to go first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, told IIHF.com.
“You know, it’s a family in that room there. (Goaltender Carter) George kept us in it when we needed him. And just from our defence to our offence, we were all clicking, and that’s an unbelievable feeling. I’ll remember this forever.”
McKenna finished the tournament with 20 points in seven games, just behind scoring leader and tourney MVP James Hagens (22 points in seven games), who is projected to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Picked first overall in the 2022 WHL Draft by Medicine Hat, McKenna had 34 goals and 63 assists for 97 points in 61 games in his first full season for the Tigers this year.
MacDougall, a native of Prince Edward Island, won his ninth national title and second in a row at UNB this year when his team didn’t allow a goal in three games at the Canadian championship tournament in Toronto.
Just two years ago, MacDougall took over the Memorial Cup host Saint John Sea Dogs after they were eliminated in the QMJHL playoffs and guided them to a national junior title as interim head coach.
Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reported last month that the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats reached out to MacDougall to discuss their vacant head coaching role.
