The NHL Draft Combine took place from June 2 through June 7, and the Draft itself is now two and a half weeks away. There isn’t a bigger wild card draft-eligible prospect on the board than Brandon Wheat Kings center Roger McQueen, who measured in at 6-foot-5.25 and 198 pounds.

Based on his size and skill level, McQueen would easily have been selected in the top five picks of this year’s draft, and still might, but a back injury derailed his 2024-25 season, leaving his games played total at 17 regular season games and three playoff games.

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He was impressive in his limited time, especially early in the season, where he erupted out of the gate and scored eight points (5-3=8) in his first three games, but never looked healthy after returning from injury in March.

McQueen suffered a fracture in the L4/L5 vertebrae in his back, originally misdiagnosed as a bulging disc, with the only recovery process being rest. Upon his return, he suffered a muscle strain from overcompensation, which removed him from the WHL playoffs after just three games.

What McQueen Had to Say

“The back, I’ve been pain-free for about a month and a couple of weeks. No limit on that,” McQueen said during his post-combine media availability. “Once the fracture healed in February, it felt pretty good. I just got a muscle strain with that, having the fracture for so long, a muscle just kind of overcompensated for that. I would say late-April was when it was completely good.”

McQueen participated in all combine measurements and exercises, stating his relief at feeling no pain.

“Just to be able to come in here and have that back issue past me now, it’s so nice to have that in my past,” McQueen said. “I think the biggest thing is having it done with. Talking to both of the doctors I worked with this year, they don’t see anything moving forward. I’m not coming here to lie about it. I’ve dealt with it for a while, and I’m just happy to have it (in the past).”

When asked if there were any players of similar size to him that he modeled his game after, McQueen stated he is impressed by what Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson can do at his size, but he feels his best comparable is Anaheim Ducks legend and 12-year captain Ryan Getzlaf.

“There are so many good players to watch (in that sense). In Buffalo, Tage Thompson is a guy that, offensively, is unbelievable and can create anything with his size and pace of play. I think his skill is top-notch,” McQueen said. “A guy that I’ve said for my player comp is Ryan Getzlaf. Just to be able to gauge a skill game and a heavy game there, too. So there’s another guy that I really want to play like.”

The Potential Fit in Anaheim

With his health still cited as an issue for teams heading into the draft and how risk-averse many clubs are at the top of drafts year after year, McQueen is projected to be selected anywhere from eighth to the mid-teens. That puts him squarely in the crosshairs of where the Ducks will be selecting with their tenth overall pick.

Of the teams drafting in the 8-12 range, the Ducks have one of the most potent as well as one of the most complete prospect/young cores in the NHL, with high-end skill and depth at every position. If there were ever a team in the position to take a significant upside swing on a supreme talent with an injury concern, it would be the Ducks. The Sabres are also a team in a similar position to the Ducks and are drafting one spot ahead of them.

If he hits and the injury is truly behind him—always a concern for tall players who’ve suffered a significant back injury—the concept of running a trio of Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, and Roger McQueen down the middle in Anaheim is scintillating.

The Player

When evaluating a player of McQueen’s stature, skating is always the most considerable discerning attribute. McQueen skates very well for his size—a tad clunky as expected—but with a powerful stride, quality edges, and sufficient explosion. He establishes and doesn’t surrender body position, as he wins battles and protects pucks with elite capabilities.

He understands how to utilize his body and mitigate his drawbacks, as he displays good decision-making in terms of timing and spatial awareness.

He hasn’t displayed the elite vision and creativity at critical moments within a play that someone like Getzlaf had in his career, but he has every tool in the toolbox that NHL general managers and scouts look for in a number one center, including puck skills and a high compete level.

McQueen has stated his intention to return to the WHL for the 2025-26 season, as he feels his Wheat Kings team has a chance to compete for the league title next season. Many of his peers are electing to transition to the NCAA, but with nearly a year lost in his development, it may be most beneficial to return and refine his game at the CHL level.

Where McQueen will end up on draft day is one of the biggest and most discussed storylines in this year’s draft. Anaheim is in the prime position to take a big swing on a player like him and potentially set the table for an entire summer of big swings as they look to take a colossal step in their build by attempting to push for the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

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