C Roger McQueen - Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL (2025 Draft)

[Bubbles]

It's eerie that he shares many parallels to another Wheat Kings player in the past, Nolan Patrick.

Not necessarily style, but the way it's been unfolding.

Big, right handed centre that can skate. But also injury prone.

For those that remember, Patrick was rated no. 1 pretty much all season despite missing the entire season more or less. The main difference was that Patrick was dominant in his D-1 season and whatever bit of the D season.

McQueen remains in the top 5 of most lists and hasn't shown YET the dominance.

 

[frontsfan67]

It's eerie that he shares many parallels to another Wheat Kings player in the past, Nolan Patrick.

Not necessarily style, but the way it's been unfolding.

Big, right handed centre that can skate. But also injury prone.

For those that remember, Patrick was rated no. 1 pretty much all season despite missing the entire season more or less. The main difference was that Patrick was dominant in his D-1 season and whatever bit of the D season.

McQueen remains in the top 5 of most lists and hasn't shown YET the dominance.

People were only high on him from his real good start which I believe included a 4G opening night? And then he cooled down and has 8G and 3A for 11P in 8 games then got hurt. I have a hard time believing he would be a goal per game 30+ games in. We saw how misa cooled down in particular(was averaging 2 goals a game for a small chunk of the start)

He should be in the 5-15 range. Big gap because he’s been injured and some teams may feel they’d rather take a guy who was consistent the whole year rather than injured half of it. The thing he really has going for him is his size though and you can’t teach that.

 

[PattyLafontaine]

People were only high on him from his real good start which I believe included a 4G opening night? And then he cooled down and has 8G and 3A for 11P in 8 games then got hurt. I have a hard time believing he would be a goal per game 30+ games in. We saw how misa cooled down in particular(was averaging 2 goals a game for a small chunk of the start)

He should be in the 5-15 range. Big gap because he’s been injured and some teams may feel they’d rather take a guy who was consistent the whole year rather than injured half of it. The thing he really has going for him is his size though and you can’t teach that.

I don't thinka team can take higher than 16 with his bulging disc. Lindstrom hasn't even played this year and his timeline is unknown so it would be negligent to take a flyer on McQueen unless you have a second pick in the first round.

 

[frontsfan67]

I don't thinka team can take higher than 16 with his bulging disc. Lindstrom hasn't even played this year and his timeline is unknown so it would be negligent to take a flyer on McQueen unless you have a second pick in the first round.

Yeah good point. A LOT of questions regarding him but if he can stay healthy it could be a steal. If he can’t I could see bust potential

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he doesn’t return soon, he’ll become a big risk, especially given what we’ve seen with Lindstrom. If Lindstrom’s injury saga didn’t happen, maybe the risk wouldn’t seem as high.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

If he doesn’t return soon, he’ll become a big risk, especially given what we’ve seen with Lindstrom. If Lindstrom’s injury saga didn’t happen, maybe the risk wouldn’t seem as high.

At least Lindstrom is a better player. I haven’t been all that impressed with McQueen at this point. Other than height, I don’t see the hype. I don’t see a top 4-5 guy in this draft.

 

[Bounces R Way]

He's a giant right handed center that plays with an edge, can score, and skates well. Right or wrong he'll probably be drafted fairly high.

 

[majormajor]

He's a giant right handed center that plays with an edge, can score, and skates well. Right or wrong he'll probably be drafted fairly high.

If teams think McQueen will be healthy they'll take him top 5. If they're not sure, they'll still take him top ten. He won't be going after 10 unless he misses the whole year.

Same thing with Lindstrom. Even though it is supposed to be a cautionary tale, if there was a re-draft today, he'd still go high.

 

[johnnystormcgy]

I don't know if this is better or worse than has been expected/speculated, but this has to be extremely frustrating.

Any update on the above tweet?

 

[Michanko]

Any updates? cant find anything

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

According to this article posted 6 days ago he wasn't skating yet with the team.

Wheat Kings finally beat Wild franchise

ICINGS: Brandon skated without injured F Roger McQueen (upper body, week to week)

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Upper-body? Must be something new if the previous thing was a lower-body?

 

[Castle8130]

I heard scouts are very concerned about his health. How would you guys rank him if you knew he'd have a D+1 season similar to Cayden Lindstroms?

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

I heard scouts are very concerned about his health. How would you guys rank him if you knew he'd have a D+1 season similar to Cayden Lindstroms?

I'm guessing that a lot of the concern stems from a lack of information. What is the injury? What is the timeline? I don't think anybody outside Brandon knows. I get that medical information can be kept private, but it's also reasonable for teams that might want to draft him to want to know the details.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I'm guessing that a lot of the concern stems from a lack of information. What is the injury? What is the timeline? I don't think anybody outside Brandon knows. I get that medical information can be kept private, but it's also reasonable for teams that might want to draft him to want to know the details.

Can teams ask for medical reports from prospects? Is that allowed?

I would certainly be concerned about drafting McQueen in the top-10.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He won’t go in the top 10 if he doesn’t show himself to be completely healthy. Not after the Lindstrom debacle.

 

[SlafySZN]

Can teams ask for medical reports from prospects? Is that allowed?

I would certainly be concerned about drafting McQueen in the top-10.

Lindstrom’s representatives sent his medical reports to teams last season. I would assume it’s gonna be the same for McQueen if his agent is willing to do it.

 

[Ryan Van Horne]

Can teams ask for medical reports from prospects? Is that allowed?

I would certainly be concerned about drafting McQueen in the top-10.

They can certainly ask, but the prospect is not required to give them. That said, failing to divulge this information before the NHL draft for someone who wants to play in the league is not a wise choice. So, while it's voluntary, it's not. It's in their best interest to divulge the info.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I heard scouts are very concerned about his health. How would you guys rank him if you knew he'd have a D+1 season similar to Cayden Lindstroms?

I'd start to think about taking him after 10, when the real premium guys are already gone. Big 4, Eklund, Smith, Frondell, Desnoyers, maybe Bear, maybe O'Brien. At some point, the upside outweighs the risk.

 

[cheesymc]

What's his ETA on his return? He has a highly desired profile and came out hot... it's going to be interesting to see where he lands and what his medical report shows. He doesn't seem as dynamic as Lindstrom so he might fall quite a bit even in this weaker draft.

 

[Jacob]

What's his ETA on his return? He has a highly desired profile and came out hot... it's going to be interesting to see where he lands and what his medical report shows. He doesn't seem as dynamic as Lindstrom so he might fall quite a bit even in this weaker draft.

Nobody seems to know. Still week-to-week and, apparently, not skating.

Even if he returns tomorrow he'll only be able to get in 27 regular season games. I think he probably falls a bit even if he returns soon but if he misses the rest of the season entire I think he falls a lot.