Penn State commit Jaxon Cover is officially an NHL draft pick.
The London Knights forward was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft giving Guy Gadowsky’s program another future Nittany Lion tied to an NHL organization.
Cover brings one of the more unique stories in the draft class to Ottawa.
A Grand Cayman native with an unconventional hockey background, Cover’s rise has been built on skill, creativity and rapid development.
After sharpening his game through roller hockey before making his way into higher-level ice hockey, Cover continued his climb with London in the OHL.
During the 2025-26 season, Cover recorded 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 67 games with the Knights, production that helped him move onto NHL draft boards and become one of the more intriguing forward prospects in the class.
For Ottawa, the pick is a bet on tools and projection. Cover has size, puck skill and offensive instincts, but he is still developing the details that come with more experience against elite competition. That combination makes him an upside play rather than a finished product.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.For Penn State, Cover’s selection is another example of the program’s growing recruiting reach.
The Nittany Lions are no longer just finding traditional college hockey prospects. They are attracting players with NHL upside, major junior production and uncommon paths to the sport.
Penn State joined Michigan State to have multiple first round selections after Gavin McKenna went first overall – even if through different affiliations as Cover is just a commit.
Prior to tonight, the last time a Big Ten team had multiple first round picks was in 2022 (Michigan, Minnesota).
Whenever Cover arrives in Hockey Valley, he will do so with a draft pedigree and a ceiling worth watching.
