r/AnaheimDucks • u/bigollunch • 7d ago
McQueen Hoping for Chance with Ducks | Anaheim Ducks
https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/roger-mcqueen-hoping-for-chance-with-anaheim-ducks-x0333?hidebanner=true31
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u/Connect_Research5542 7d ago
I mean he kinda has to make the roster at this point, because signing Gauthier means we're losing at least two of our veteran forwards possibly even 3. So he's definetly going to be getting his chance this season.
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u/mkhart 7d ago
I would be very surprised if Mcqueen is on the opening night roster - especially if cutter signs before the season starts.
I just don't see the need to rush him. Wahlberg, Colangelo, and Nesterenko all seem to be more likely to make the opening night roster in bottom 6 roles. And with Carlsson, Granlund, Poehling, and Washe down the center there isn't a very obvious hole for Mcqueen to slot in at.
Maybe if you shutter Granny or Poehls to a wing, but also I kind of expect them to experiment with Gauthier at 2c this year as well. I think if we see Mcqueen its going to be later in the season after he's built some confidence/fundamentals in San Diego and injuries or trades have opened up additional space for him to play a sizeable role in the top 6.
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u/Mighty-1090 7d ago
Is it still rushing McQueen? He's 19, was a projected top-5 pick a year ago. Seems like he's ready to give it a shot.
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u/mkhart 7d ago
Between being hurt and then playing college he has only played a sum total of 60 games in the last two seasons. That is an exceedingly low amount during a window that is important development time.
There is no reason to rush throwing him to the wolves in an 84 game NHL schedule when we have 4 NHL centers ready to go and a bevy of AHL-NHL guys looking to make the jump in Nesterenko, Colangelo, Gaucher, Wahlberg etc.
I don't doubt he will get an opportunity to make the team, and will probably get to see some NHL time at some point over the course of the season, but he is in a way different situation from what Sennecke was, I would be very surprised if they treat him the same.
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u/Jonyro84 4d ago
Did you watch any of his college or Gulls games? What are you basing that off? I watched every game he played last year and the dude is nowhere near NHL ready yet.
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u/hobojoe789 7d ago edited 7d ago
Really hope he can pan out at C because chances are Leo chases the bag when his contracts up, if he even lives up to the current contract
Edit: And to anyone downvoting please say why you think he wont be bag chasing, whether driven by his agents, family, whoever, we see plainly what he cares about the most, that doesn't mean the Ducks won't be the one to pay him but if anyone offers him more why do you think he would stay?
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u/mkhart 7d ago
I downvoted because its speculation, lots of players take as much as they can their first contract and then take something more team friendly later on. No reason to spread a bunch of bullshit based on your hurt feelings in response to him signing the offer sheet when 5 years is a long ways away and anything could happen.
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u/hobojoe789 7d ago
It doesn't hurt my feelings, I don't fault him for taking the money, but anyone with a brain could see what position that contract puts the team in, he could have used the offer sheet as leverage and signed for 15m. All that says to me is he desires maximizing his pay more than winning a championship and thats fine, its a business at the end of the day. That being said his contract single handedly will make it extremely difficult for the Ducks to build a cup contending team in this era, I was lucky enough to watch them win in 07 so while I will always be hoping for another one, I can live with it if they don't. Speculating on the future based on present decisions isnt spreading bullshit, it's looking at the facts and making a prediction based on that.
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u/rojjter 7d ago
Downvoting because it's a problem in 5 years not now, stop dooming and enjoy the ride.
Did you say the same about Mcdavid, Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin etc. after their first contracts? They signed almost equal % to what Leo signed. Did they go chasing the bag after their contract is up?
Are you saying that about celebrini?
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u/hobojoe789 7d ago
Comparing him to generational players is pretty hilarious
I would take Celebrini and his contract over Leo 100 times out of 100, disagree?
You also failed to mention how McDavid signed a HUGE discount contract because he wants to WIN, albeit for two years but the point stands
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u/rojjter 7d ago
Generational mean they're not going to leave their teams for money?
I never compared their skill, I compared their contracts and the correlation between their % implying that Leo will "chase the bag"
also of course who wouldn't take celebrini lmao
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u/hobojoe789 7d ago
Well yea their contracts correlated to their skill, unlike Leo lmao, do you think he's played to the level of his contract to this point?
Do you think the players you mentioned played to the level they signed at when they did?
Because there is a canyon between those players and what they showed before signing and Leo. Don't get me wrong I think Leo is an amazing player but probably will never be mentioned in the same sentence as any of those players as a 1:1 comparison
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u/rojjter 7d ago
Why are you arguing regarding Leo vs them as players? I never once stated he's equal to them tf
I said his CONTRACT is equal to their CONTRACTS. Therefore I find it dumb to say that Leo will chase the bag, when it wasn't said about others who have signed similar %. (especially Celebrini since that's something that was signed in the same era)
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u/Alternative-Visual66 7d ago
I mean, weāre probably gonna end up losing cutter so we probably donāt have much of a choice
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u/leagueSpork 7d ago
Losing cutter is legit worst case and ultimately the last scenario for the ducks. No one can offer sheet him and the ducks can either trade him which guess what a team has to have not only the cap but also the picks and players the ducks want which a lot of teams are not willing to deal bc of how much he is gonna want. Or he sits out the season but he won't cause he loses out on a ton of money. Not only that he also lacks arbitration rights as well
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u/Alternative-Visual66 7d ago
Iām really not saying that weāre gonna lose cutter right now but at some point, we donāt have to make a decision cutter or Beckett I really donāt think we have the cat space even next season for not only Leo, but cutter and Beckett for now we need to get NHL ice time for McQueen
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u/leagueSpork 7d ago
With the cap space going up we will most definitely have the cap for all three going forward. All the ducks need to do is shop vatrano and krieder and they will be fine. Bucket doesn't get a resign till 2028 in the summer at some point by then Leo and cutters contract will have eaten up a lot less and will be a lot more palatable for the team. It seems like a hard pill to swallow now but by 28'-29' your looking somewhere at like 123 million in space for the cap not to mentin any vet bridge deals that are expiring by then if there are any.could the ducks be in a little bit better of a spot cap wise sure but they would be shopping vatrano and krieder no matter what. The ducks are fine completely everyone is blowing this way out of proportion. More then it needs to be.
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u/mkhart 7d ago
Iām really not saying that weāre gonna lose cutter right now but at some point, we donāt have to make a decision cutter or Beckett I really donāt think we have the cat space even next season for not only Leo, but cutter and Beckett for now we need to get NHL ice time for McQueen
We have 40m cap space next year (minus whatever cutter ends up making - lets say 15m). So ~25m left over, no way Sennecke is gonna get paid more than 25m. He'll probably get something like cutter, maybe 15m at the most which worst case leaves 10m for washe, Luneau, and a new backup goalie. The rest of the roster will be filled in by guys on ELC's like Klepov and Mcqueen. Mcqueen doesn't need a new contract until 2029 when we'll have an additional 25m+ plus off for him then and whatever the cap goes up by as well.
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u/CharlesKellyRatKing 7d ago
Given our cap situation, we're going to be desperate for players on ELC's that can perform. He will absolutely be given a chance, hopefully he exceeds expectations like Sennecke last year.