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Ducks Predicted to Take Offseason Gamble to Start Joel Quenneville Era

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Levine | Last updated May 18, 2025 6:42 PM ET

The Anaheim Ducks are entering a crucial offseason following a jump in the standings this past season. Even with the team missing the playoffs, Anaheim has a lot to be excited about in the future.

The team brought in former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville to run the team, giving them an experienced leader. But the front office will need to improve the roster if it wants to become a true contender in the Western Conference.

One of the first parts of the offseason is the 2025 NHL draft, and the Ducks currently hold the No. 10 pick. In a new mock draft by Corey Pronman of The Athletic, Anaheim takes a big gamble to start the Quenneville era.

The Ducks are predicted to take center Roger McQueen out of the WHL

"A 6-foot-5 center with speed, hands and bite, McQueen gives Anaheim a potential massive talent down the middle. He would have gone top five if it weren’t for a concerning back injury. With superb young talent in the organization, Anaheim can afford the gamble on McQueen."

Normally, teams like to be confident in first-round draft picks, but the Ducks do have some wiggle room. Anaheim has a lot of young players on the roster already, so they likely can afford a player like McQueen time to develop.

McQueen has a good size and scoring touch that would be able to complement the other young players on the Ducks. Despite him missing 51 games last season, he did score 10 goals and 10 assists for his team.

Anaheim has a lot of work to do this offseason, and the draft is a big part of building this team back up.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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