McQueen, Reschny lead Saskatchewan contingent of prospects ahead of 2025 NHL Draft
Back home with his family in Saskatoon this month, Roger McQueen has been given the chance to take a breath after a WHL season which tested him at the best of times.
Now the pressure is ramping back up yet again, as he awaits to hear his name called at the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday in Los Angeles.
'It's one of the biggest moments in a while for me and it's insane how quick it's moved,' said McQueen. 'Just thinking about 10 years ago me on the pond, just hanging out on my own. It's crazy how far I've come and it's going to be cool to finally get my name called.'
Few draft-eligible players have overcome as many hurdles as McQueen this year, following a 2024-25 campaign with the Brandon Wheat Kings which did not go according to plan.
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Racing out of the gates with eight goals and 11 points in just eight games, McQueen was tabbed as a sure fire top-10 prospect ahead of the 2025 draft.
That was until his season grinded to a halt in mid-October as he suffered a back injury which included fractured vertebrae, keeping him out of the Wheat Kings lineup for close to five months before making his return in early March.
Given a clean bill of health, the six-foot-five-inch tall McQueen was a full participant at the recent NHL Draft combine where he met with 24 teams and has been listed as the eight-best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting.
'Having this injury this year is obviously tough for anyone,' said McQueen. 'Looking back at it when I'm five years older from now, I think it's going to be probably one of the best things for me. Just in the sense of what I learned and how I've become as a person, the other side of the game in the mental side which arguably could be more important.'
Despite the injury, McQueen is expected to be picked anywhere between fifth overall and 15th overall on Friday night with a wide open draft expected following the first few picks.
The former Saskatoon AAA Blazers star is one of two Saskatchewan-born players expected to be taken in the first round in Los Angeles, along with Macklin product Cole Reschny.
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'It's just so surreal and so special that I have this opportunity,' said Reschny. 'My family and I get to go down to (Los Angeles), enjoy that and experience it. It's pretty cool to see that the day has come. It's honestly crazy; it kind of flew by.'
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Completing his sophomore season with the Victoria Royals, Reschny became one of the top offensive threats in the WHL posting 26 goals and 92 points in 62 games and is ranked 25th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
He followed that up with a gold medal performance with Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships in Texas, scoring five goals and eight points in five games including an overtime winner to advance past the Czechs in the quarter-finals.
'Getting the opportunity I got there playing meaningful minutes and being put in a lot of big situations was big,' said Reschny. 'I was able to produce myself, but the biggest thing was the team was able to have success and that was a big part of it. It was nice to get that opportunity to finish on a winning note.'
Reschny, who has committed to leave the Royals and join the University of North Dakota in the fall, will likely fall in the mid-to-late first round after meeting with 26 NHL teams at the combine and could be the second Blazers alum after McQueen to hear his name called Friday.
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Saskatchewan WHL star Cole Reschny speaks on move to NCAA
Down the road in Moose Jaw, Warriors captain Lynden Lakovic is also expected to be a first round selection after leading the team in scoring with 27 goals and 58 points in 47 games.
As for Day 2 of the draft on Saturday, up to a dozen picks with Saskatchewan connections could be selected by NHL teams with Dawson Gerwing (Meadow Lake), Reese Hamilton (Whitewood), Joby Baumuller (Wilcox), Kolten Bridgeman (Regina), Jayden Kraus (Prince Albert) and Carson Adair (Clavet) all listed in NHL Central Scouting's final draft rankings.
Meanwhile, the WHL's Saskatchewan-based teams will be eagerly anticipating picks with Lakovic, Swift Current Broncos defender Peyton Kettles and Saskatoon Blades import forward David Lewandowski among those expecting to be drafted this weekend.
For Lewandowski, who came over to Saskatoon early in the season from Germany, he was able to adapt to the smaller ice surface with 15 goals and 39 points in 52 games.
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'It's hard to come from Europe so it's kind of different,' said Lewandowski. 'But I always got my chances from [head coach Dan DaSilva], they always trusted in me. So it was fine.'
Lewandowski, who is ranked 51st by NHL Central Scouting and is projected as a second-to-fourth round pick, also got the chance to represent Germany at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa this past winter.
He also took part in the combine along with McQueen, Reschny and Lakovic where he finished top-1o in pull ups and was able to meet with eight NHL clubs over the week.
'It was pretty cool to see that,' said Lewandowski. 'You're there doing the test, you look around and then all the people are looking. So it was pretty cool.'
Riding a wave of recent Saskatchewan-born first rounders like Brayden Yager, Kevin Korchinski and Berkly Catton, McQueen and Reschny say they're eager to add to that list and take that next step towards the NHL.
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Reflecting back on his upbringing on the family farm outside of Macklin, Reschny said there's a reason why so many Saskatchewan prospects are hearing their names called early in recent years.
'Saskatchewan just has that hockey identity the way players are, but also as people too,' said Reschny. 'I think the way we grow up here as small-town kids and smaller-city kids gives an identity that helps us and takes us a long way in hockey.'
Both Reschny and McQueen will be in Los Angeles alongside family on Friday night, wanting to share their biggest night with those closest to them as they take the next step in their development.
'Obviously it's something you always think about and dream about,' said McQueen. 'I've definitely put some thought (into it) and I'm super excited, hopefully that dream does come true.'
The first round of the 2025 NHL Draft will begin at 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time, while rounds two through seven will be held on Saturday.
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