Canucks 2025 NHL Draft Target: Roger McQueen

On a positive note, McQueen says he’s put the injury behind him, and people should be inclined to believe him, as he had a strong showing at the 2025 NHL Combine, completing all the fitness testing with more than average numbers, including nine pull-ups and a 20.7-inch vertical jump.

“Being able to come here and have that back issue past me now, it’s so nice to have that in my past,” McQueen said. “I think I came a long way this year with that. So I think just having that in the past and being able to come here and compete with my buddies is awesome.”

If McQueen is indeed healthy and that back injury is a thing of the past, he has the potential to be a first-line centre in the NHL. The first thing you notice about him is his size at 6-foot-5, 192 pounds, but you wouldn’t know he’s that big by how he skates and moves the puck.

“Despite standing 6-foot-5, he can weave in and out of traffic, keeping the puck tight to his body and never losing control. Not many big players can thrive in tight, but McQueen defies the stereotype and does his best work under pressure,” The Hockey Writers‘ Dayton Reimer stated in his prospect profile.

McQueen is also great at the front of the net, where he again uses his size and strength to overpower defenders and provide an effective screen or get his stick free to deflect pucks into the net. Away from the crease, he can also score with his accurate shot that he seems to be able to get off from anywhere in the offensive zone. All in all, he’s a multifaceted threat that could become an elite two-way top-line centre in the NHL one day.

What Others Are Saying

“McQueen is a goal-scorer with a strong one-timer and an innate ability to find open spots to unleash it. However, there are areas that require improvement. His playmaking, as noted, is not particularly threatening. Enhancing this aspect of his game could significantly boost his NHL potential.” – Kyle Pereira, FC Hockey

“He’s not a wild card because of his skill or his potential, he’s a wild card because of that type of injury…I feel really lucky because I’ve been able to watch him for three years and I’ve seen progression and how gifted he is.” – Craig Button, TSN

“He also has this incredible knack for always emerging from busy areas on the ice with the puck. You watch him call for passes with one or two bodies on him and yet he still has the stick speed and physicality to find the puck and give himself room.” – Tom Watson, Smaht Scouting

McQueen’s Fit in the Canucks’ Prospect Pool

McQueen would instantly become the Canucks’ top prospect if they were able to draft him. He’s a potential franchise centre that checks every box, from size and skill with the puck to an NHL-caliber shot and a presence at the front of the net. He would make the future down the middle an exciting one, with the possibility of joining Elias Pettersson as a formidable one-two punch for years to come; he could even usurp him as the top-line centre and push him down to the second line at some point.

Should the Canucks Draft McQueen?

As I mentioned with Cootes, the Canucks need to start bolstering their prospect pool with potential top-six (at the very least top nine) centres. They are very thin in that department, and if they somehow are in the position to draft someone like McQueen at 15, they need to jump at the chance. I would even go as far as trading up to get him. His injury history is a concern, no doubt, but his ceiling – and even floor – should be too exciting to pass up. With the possibility of him falling beyond the top 10, the Canucks should be keeping an eye on him as the draft progresses. If he’s still on the board after the first 10 prospects are chosen, I would seriously look at trading the 15th pick and moving up to make sure they will get him.