Kyle Dubas Considering Shocking Draft Strategy to Target Injured Star

The 2025 NHL Draft is full of intriguing prospects, and while many see 2026 as the much more talented overall crop of players, if you play your cards right in 2025, you could land a franchise star.

With a potential top-10 pick in the draft, Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins are set to do that, but with evaluating this class being so difficult, there's some tough calls they need to make.

One of the most intriguing prospects is Roger McQueen, who was once seen as a top-five talent, but with his injury issues that have caused him to play just 70 games over the last two years and 17 this season, there's a chance he could fall.

According to reports, the team could look to parlay that into future assets, as they may be willing to draft back to acquire further assets to land McQueen, who has the talent to be a very good centre of the future standing at 6-foot-5.

Currently, the Penguins have the best odds to land the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, and with some high upside players at that position, teams in the teens could be looking to give away future picks to get to that spot, and that could be huge for the Penguins and their plans.

In the last three years in the WHL, McQueen has been solid when healthy, posting a career high 51 points in 53 games played a season ago, and at 6-foot-5 with plenty of physicality and an intriguing skillset, this is a player to watch.

At this point in time, it all comes down to whether or not the Penguins love any of the prospects available when they're on the board, and if they don't and see McQueen as a franchise player, moving back to get assets would be a huge bonus for this team as they continue their re-tool/rebuild.