Many players at the NHL draft describe their experience as a whirlwind. For Roger McQueen, that description would be more literal than for most.
The 2006-born forward had no sooner finished his post-selection interviews after being taken tenth overall by the Anaheim Ducks than, like something out of a movie, he was being whisked away to a private helicopter. And the whirlwind was only just beginning.
“I had just gotten drafted and I got told I was getting on a helicopter to Disney Land,” McQueen said with a chuckle. “We did some pictures there, hung out, and practically had the park to ourselves with this kind of fast pass. I went on the owner’s friend’s yacht yesterday and hung out with (fellow Ducks draftee Eric Nilson), we saw some dolphins which was really cool. Then we went to the Angels game and I did the first pitch.”
Between a helicopter ride, a yacht trip (which was McQueen’s first time seeing dolphins in person), and the Angels’ game, it seems like the Ducks organization has kept McQueen busy from the moment he pulled their jersey over his head. It also seems like they’re doing everything in their power to roll out the red carpet for their newest young star.
“How they’ve treated me and my family as well has been phenomenal,” McQueen said. “It’s been unbelievable what they’ve done, I’m super happy… They’ve done such a good job already.”
Making an already special moment all the more so was that McQueen got to share it with some good buddies within the Ducks organization. He already knows fellow Saskatchewan-born WHL star Tarin Smith, one of the Ducks’ two third-round picks last season, and on the same day he was enjoying the California sunshine on his yacht journey he learned he had a fellow Wheat King joining him in Anaheim in Brady Turko.
“Having Brady here is going to be awesome,” McQueen said. “Having him here, having a guy to hang out with after a long day at the rink is going to be awesome. And Tarin, I grew up with him. Having all these familiar faces here is nice.”
Baseball games and Disney World trips are a great introduction to the off-ice hospitality McQueen can expect from the Ducks, and now he gets the on-ice introductions. Anaheim’s development camp is underway, and thanks to a dedicated workout and rehabilitation schedule, McQueen will get to be a full participant.
“I’ve come a long way with that injury for sure,” he said. “It means a lot to be able to do everything at the dev camp now, and being able to be part of the team will be cool.”
McQueen is the second Wheat King in the last three seasons along with Nate Danielson to be a top-ten pick in the NHL draft, and the teams’ role in his development isn’t lost on him. Like Danielson, as a later birthday McQueen had three full seasons in Black and Gold to develop prior to his selection.
“Brandon has played a huge part,” he said. “Everything, from ownership to the head coach to my teammates to equipment management has been phenomenal. Everyone there has been so good to me, everyone is like a family there. That’s been a huge part of my development. Everyone from the skills coach to the goaltending coach has been part of my success.”
McQueen added the number 95 he’d been wearing for many of the Ducks’ promotional photos was his number for the moment but he wasn’t a hundred percent certain he’d keep that number through training camp.
