- Ducks make Roger McQueen’s NHL debut official against the Flames
- The 2025 No. 10 pick centers the third line between Frank Vatrano and A.J. Greer
- Read below for what McQueen and Joel Quenneville said about the debut
Roger McQueen is playing tonight.
The Ducks confirmed that the 2025 No. 10 overall pick will make his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames, centering the third line between Frank Vatrano and A.J. Greer, per the projected lineups. The team made the recall official earlier in the day:
McQueen spoke to reporters before the game about getting the call.
“It’s a big day, so very excited,” McQueen said in the Ducks’ game preview. “I kind of waited for this moment for a while. You only get this once so it’s one of those things you want to enjoy.”
Head coach Joel Quenneville explained what the 20-year-old gives Anaheim in the middle of the lineup.
“It’s an opportunity for him to play, give us a right-handed centerman, size in the middle,” Quenneville said. “Roger’s got some upside, to what could be a really nice career.”
The opening comes from injuries. Ryan Poehling went on injured reserve with an MCL sprain and will miss six to eight weeks, which the Ducks announced Tuesday morning:
Cutter Gauthier is day-to-day with an upper-body issue and sits out tonight. Drew Helleson returns on defense for his season debut, and Lukas Dostal gets the start in goal. We have more on the Poehling injury and on the original McQueen recall.
McQueen has three goals in four games for San Diego this season. Puck drop in Anaheim is 6:45 p.m. PT, and the Flames are still hunting for their first win and point.
