The NHL Draft is right around the corner and Sportsvival is here to help go over the top prospects who should be selected on June 27th in Los Angeles.
Today we scout:
C- Roger McQueen
Brandon (WHL)
6’5” 197 lbs.
Roger McQueen was born on October 6, 2006 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
During his rookie season in 2022-2023, McQueen recorded four goals and ten assists in 55 regular season games.
In July of 2023, McQueen was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. During the tournament he recorded four goals and three assists in five games and won a gold medal.
In his second season for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, McQueen tallied 21 goals and 30 assists in 53 regular season games. He missed the final month of the season due to a back injury, but returned for the playoffs where he led the team in scoring, recording four goals and one assist in four playoff games.
McQueen represented Canada in the 2024 IIHF World U18 Championships. During the tournament he recorded one assist in two games, before missing the rest of the tournament. Although he was injured for most of the tournament he won another gold medal.
In 2024-2025, McQueen once again suffered an injury early in the season and only played 17 games, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists. He returned for the playoffs and scored one goal in three games for the Wheat Kings.
What does the tape say?
Positives
Size
Excellent skater for a big guy
Drives the net well
Leadership qualities
Strong backchecking skillset
Finds the soft spots and is always in scoring position
Negatives
Injury concerns are his biggest red flag. There is some worry about his back.
Needs to improve one-on-one battles especially a player of his size
He has a tendency to take bad penalties. He can get egged into losing discipline.
Although he is an above average skater for a 6’5” center, he needs to improve his first step to become more explosive.
What Sportsvival sees:
Roger McQueen is this year’s wild card. His talent and skillset say he should be a top five pick, but his injury history and back problems say otherwise. Chances are really good a team takes a lottery ticket on him in the top ten.
McQueen reminds SV of Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson. They both have a strong net presence and use their reach as a weapon. If McQueen stays healthy, he should have a long and prosperous career.
(photo courtesy of The Hockey News)