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Prospect Info: 2025 Draft: We are #1….1

I think McQueens ceiling is the highest in the draft. I get the big guy dominating the smaller guys but if you watch him he has a set of hands, and a shot.

He uses his large frame to his advantage and to create space. Before the injury people were talking #1 OV which I can see.
 
Wild card McQueen and Hagins. See who takes them before the Pens which will push down a couple players I like. Center is a must have in this draft position. Rangers are a wildcard here but if they give up the pick, RW and LD make the most sense.
 
eXile3 said:
I think McQueens ceiling is the highest in the draft. I get the big guy dominating the smaller guys but if you watch him he has a set of hands, and a shot.

He uses his large frame to his advantage and to create space. Before the injury people were talking #1 OV which I can see.
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I like him but I don’t think he’s that good

I’d have a hard time with him there even with health. I don’t think he’s a center in the NHL as is. Not a good enough playmaker or puck carrier.

I’d take him because if you put him with a good playmaker I think he could score a lot of goals, play with an edge, screen goalies, forecheck, be a beast down low.

I mean who doesn’t like a 6’5 guy with high end hands at the net front ?
 
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HandshakeLine said:
I still have Kevin Vellieux vibes.
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Yeah, big ones. I am not bullish on him at all.

I found myself confounded by his decision making processes. He seems to walk himself into disadvantageous scenarios that he does dangle or physical his way out of 1 every 15 times but what about the other 14? They're all killed possessions or, worse, turnovers.

He doesn't have the legs to make me confident in his size making any difference at all in the next level. He tries to take D on long walks to shake them but he's not a good enough skater to create the separation he's looking for.

I think the tape tells the story of massive amounts of potential. But you're also betting that your quad bet is gonna hit on the roulette wheel. I hate picks like that.
 
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Jesse said:
But you're also betting that your quad bet is gonna hit on the roulette wheel. I hate picks like that.
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It just depends on the alternatives. I’m ok with big swings it if you’re not sold on anyone else in that range being a consequential NHLer.

I also think players like him can really benefit playing at higher levels. Like if you put him on the wing and told him to run everyone and park his ass at the net? He’s not getting the puck enough to mis-manage it. Rather than feeling like he’s gotta be “the guy” in junior.
 
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CheckingLineCenter said:
It just depends on the alternatives. I’m ok with big swings it if you’re not sold on anyone else in that range being a consequential NHLer.

I also think players like him can really benefit playing at higher levels. Like if you put him on the wing and told him to run everyone and park his ass at the net? He’s not getting the puck enough to mis-manage it. Rather than feeling like he’s gotta be “the guy” in junior.
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I feel like the end of the year tape isn't a good reflection of what he's capable of because it felt like he was highlight-hunting to me to keep his stock on the uptick. Like there was almost a noticeable pressure to perform given how long he'd been out. His tape pre-injury seems a lot more organic to me, but that's also probably a result of having a clean bill of health.

And also agree about context. I'm fine with the swing if players you feel like are verifiable NHL talent at their base are already gone.
 
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McQueen is pretty mean too. In his first shift in his first game back he was taking runs all over the ice. Probably up there with Aitcheson and Martin in terms of the most physical players amongst 1st rounders.
 
There's a 16% chance that a #11 overall pick scores over 500 points in their career.

Funnily enough, that's higher than #8 and #10 overall. There's 18% chance that happens with a #2 overall pick.
 
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Jacob said:
McQueen is pretty mean too. In his first shift in his first game back he was taking runs all over the ice. Probably up there with Aitcheson and Martin in terms of the most physical players amongst 1st rounders.
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On paper, I love almost everything about the pick. I just get the impression he won’t be able to translate it to the NHL here. I don’t pretend to have any elaborate reasoning or stats backing it uo, just a hunch.
 
eXile3 said:
I’ve been watching a lot of different scouting videos and I’m going to get controversial… I really like McQueen.

The consensus from people who watched him seems to be his skating isn’t as bad as reported and he’s a incredibly talented player who uses his size well.

In one of the videos they pointed at him doing the “Rust” move where he powers his way to the net but he’s 6’5”.

I hope he falls to us and the injury is nothing. Without it he’s probably a top 5 pick
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nothing controversial..... he's a very good player if he can stay healthy. but that's a big if.
 
Jesse said:
I feel like the end of the year tape isn't a good reflection of what he's capable of because it felt like he was highlight-hunting to me to keep his stock on the uptick. Like there was almost a noticeable pressure to perform given how long he'd been out. His tape pre-injury seems a lot more organic to me, but that's also probably a result of having a clean bill of health.

And also agree about context. I'm fine with the swing if players you feel like are verifiable NHL talent at their base are already gone.
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it's also not the best to try to judge players just coming back from an injury. imo
 
In a bad draft, after dropping two more slots to add insult to injury, swinging for the fences on a guy like McQueen is not a bad strategy.

I look at it as our cavernous future hole down the middle is bigger than McQueen's cons as a first-round draft prospect.
 
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As long as we get some MRIs and a once-over from some spine specialist and make an informed decision, and depending on who else is available, I’d be okay with McQueen. I mean he was mentioned as a possible 1OA earlier in the year.

But I could see a really well-managed offseason-through-camp going a long way in mending him. Assess him, find the right exercises and stretches his situation, keep the exertion light, keep him out of the summer camps and scrimmages. Build cite strength. Bring him along in a way where you’re sort of rebuilding him from scratch, starting from 0 and going to his first real game, say like a preseason game. Manage the work load. Then send him back to the W with a game plan on how to remain healthy.

Lindstrom finally returned after missing 13 months and looks good in the WHL playoffs. Wonder if that has any impact on McQueen’s ratings.
 
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Tbh I think I've kinda convinced myself on Lakovic if Eklund isn't available. He has all of the makings of a potential elite player with his size, speed and skill, it's just a matter of developing him well and getting his play style to match his size. I think he's probably the HR swing to make at #11 if you want to make that kind of pick, even with my question marks about him.
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
Tbh I think I've kinda convinced myself on Lakovic if Eklund isn't available. He has all of the makings of a potential elite player with his size, speed and skill, it's just a matter of developing him well and getting his play style to match his size. I think he's probably the HR swing to make at #11 if you want to make that kind of pick, even with my question marks about him.
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I’m not super high on him but he’s probably the 2nd or 3rd best skater in the first round class. And at that size that’s impressive in itself.
 
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Whoever has the best combo of skating and puck skills whenever we pick is what I'd be looking for.

Swing for the fences on the things you can't teach so much and work on coaching the rest (to a reasonable extent).
 
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MrBurghundy said:
Whoever has the best combo of skating and puck skills whenever we pick is what I'd be looking for.

Swing for the fences on the things you can't teach so much and work on coaching the rest (to a reasonable extent).
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high hockey iq can cover a lot of warts. imo
edit; i wouldn't want to narrow it down to just one though.
 
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