With the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them.
Since the Penguins have a total of 30 picks over the next three drafts, including 11 this year - which could reduce to 10 if the conditional first-round pick from the New York Rangers defers to 2026 - there will be plenty of opportunity for the Penguins to add impact players. Of their 11 picks in 2025, six of them are in the first three rounds.
After the results of the draft lottery on May 5, the Penguins will officially select 11th overall, dropping down two spots from where they originally were at ninth. As such, we have compiled a list of potential draft prospects that should fall around the Penguins' selection.
We recently profiled center Jake O'Brien, forward Victor Eklund, defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, and forward Brady Martin. Next up? Center Roger McQueen.
Penguins Drop Two Slots In NHL Draft, Will Pick 11th OverallIn past draft lotteries, the Pittsburgh Penguins have seen their fair share of luck.
Roger McQueen
DOB: Oct. 2, 2006
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 197 pounds
Team: Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
There is, perhaps, no 2025 NHL Draft prospect more polarizing than big-bodied centerman Roger McQueen.
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatachuwan, there isn't anyone quite like McQueen in this draft class. Standing at 6-foot-5, 197 pounds, the 18-year-old has a rare mix of size, mobility, and skill that is such a rarity at the NHL level, especially on the forward front.
But the biggest questions about McQueen is whether or not his skillset will translate to the NHL level - and whether or not he can stay healthy.
McQueen missed nearly all of the 2024-25 season with spondylosis, which is a stress fracture in the spine. He played in only 17 total games and registered 10 goals and 20 points in that span, which seemed to pretty much be a continuation of his 2023-24 campaign that featured 21 goals and 51 points in 53 games.
Wheat Kings' Roger McQueen Re-joins Team, Records Assist In Second Game BackAfter four and a half months away from the team, Roger McQueen has returned to the WHL. One of the most intriguing prospects of the 2025 NHL Draft, THN's Dawson Petryshen had the opportunity to sit down with McQueen and catch up on how his recovery went and look ahead to the remainder of the regular season.
The big forward is good with the puck on his stick, and he is quite effective down low and at the net-front, especially on the power play, as seven of his 21 goals in 2023-24 came on the man advantage. He can also take the puck end-to-end with a powerful stride and the ability to deke out opponents along the way.
Any player with size and skill is attractive to NHL teams, and that's not a secret. If McQueen can continue to put up numbers and produce - as well as build on his skating just a bit - the sky is the limit for him becoming an effective power forward at the NHL level.
However, a lot of the details in McQueen's game aren't quite there, and he doesn't always use his frame to his advantage. There is some left to be desired as far as physicality, and, at times, he can be caught either in the wrong areas of the ice or not anticipating up to the level of his skill.
Some of the "hockey-IQ" that is often referred to with regard to prospects isn't necessarily as prominent with McQueen. That isn't to say that he can't develop that more as he starts playing with better talent and players who do possess a strong hockey sense, but it is something to keep in mind, especially since POHO/GM Kyle Dubas and the Penguins have recently been honing in on high-IQ playmakers.
He also tends to produce in waves, so the consistency in his production has also been a slight area of concern.
Roger McQueen is back in action for the Brandon Wheat Kings, and while there's still some injury rust left to shake off, he's flashing the same toolsy upside that has scouts excited. When he gets going he's a real handful
— Derek Neumeier (@Derek_N_NHL) March 18, 2025
Here are some clips from his two most recent games (#13): pic.twitter.com/zXu6gks4K8
Overall, McQueen is an intriguing prospect, and he has all the tools to be the kind of player that any NHL team would want to deploy every night. However, given the pool of talent that projects to be around the area the Penguins will be picking - and considering their desperate need for more surefire talent at the center position in their system - it's hard to say whether or not the Penguins should take a gamble on a high-upside, low-floor player.
Whether or not Pittsburgh selects him should more so be determined by the players remaining when it's their turn to draft. If a center such as Jake O'Brien or Brady Martin is still available, they may be a bit safer because of the higher level of assurance that they'll at least become effective players at the NHL level.
As mentioned before, the sky is the limit for McQueen. But the floor is also a pretty low one. So the Penguins should take that into consideration if he is available at 11th overall.
Penguins Draft Prospect Profile: Brady MartinWith the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!