The 2025 NHL Draft has seen multiple picks already make their NHL debut. Matthew Schafer and Michael Misa have both made impacts on their teams, while Anton Frondell and Porter Martone recently made their NHL debuts. The Anaheim Ducks selected Roger McQueen in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Now, the Ducks have decided on the immediate future of McQueen, according to a release by the team.
McQueen has signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement and will report to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The 19-year old just finished his first season at Providence College. In 36 games, he found the back of the net 11 times, while adding 16th assists. Further, he won 313 faceoffs, good for a 55.1 percent winning percentage. The season came to an end with a 5-1 loss to Quinnipiac in the NCAA Tournament. He was a standout in the junior ranks, but opted to play a season of college hockey after being drafted tenth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. That became an option after rules changes made that possible.
“It is exciting to welcome Roger to our organization to play professional hockey after a strong freshman season at Providence,” said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek. “Roger will gain valuable experience playing additional games in San Diego, which will be an important step in his development.”
In the 2024-25 season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, he played in just 17 games because of a back fracture. Still, he was originally misdiagnosed as having a bulging disk, which led to questions about his future, including his 2025 draft status.
The Ducks are 41-28-5 on the season, which places them atop the Pacific Division. While they hope McQueen will develop in the AHL ranks, they also know that the future could be bright with this group poised to make the playoffs.
