The Anaheim Ducks signed Providence College center Roger McQueen to an amateur tryout contract on Wednesday and allowed their No. 10 selection from the 2025 NHL draft to begin his professional career.

McQueen will play with the San Diego Gulls, the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, for the remainder of this season. He was the Hockey East Conference rookie of the year in his first season with the Friars.

“It is exciting to welcome Roger to our organization to play professional hockey after a strong freshman season at Providence,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “Roger will gain valuable experience playing additional games in San Diego, which will be an important step in his development.”

McQueen was the Ducks’ initial pick in the decentralized draft in Los Angeles, and his selection was followed by a lot of fanfare. Shortly after his selection and some interviews, the 6-foot-6 forward was whisked by helicopter from the top of a downtown hotel to Disneyland in Anaheim. The Ducks had a No. 95 jersey ready for their new draft pick, a nod to the Lightning McQueen character of Disney’s “Cars” movie series.

McQueen played one season with Providence under coach Nate Leaman, and it came to an end with a 5-2 loss to Quinnipiac in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. McQueen had 11 goals and finished third on the Friars with 27 points. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native was one of many Canadian major junior standouts who opted to move into the NCAA ranks this season, after a rules change made it possible.

Before joining Providence, McQueen played three full seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He played in only 17 games with Brandon in 2024-25 because of a back fracture, but he enjoyed good health with Providence and did not miss a game.

The injury, originally misdiagnosed as a bulging disc, was one reason McQueen’s draft position was in question. Now he will start his pro career with a Ducks franchise that has Leo Carlsson as its No. 1 center. But Mason McTavish is struggling as the No. 2 pivot and, at least for now, has lost that spot to veteran Mikael Granlund. McTavish also got moved away from center, as Ryan Poehling flourished on the third line and rookie Tim Washe grabbed the 4C spot.

This move by the Ducks can be considered test run, to see how close McQueen might be to competing for am NHL roster spot in 2026-27. It is equivalent to what the Boston Bruins recently did with Boston College standout James Hagens, their top prospect and the No. 7 draft pick in 2025. Hagens has played two seasons at Boston College and has a goal and assist in his first two games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins.

McQueen is traveling to San Diego on Wednesday and could make his debut with the Gulls on Friday night against the Bakersfield Condors at home. If he flourishes right away, the Ducks could (and likely would) move to sign him to an entry-level contract that would start next season. Signing an ELC now would have made McQueen ineligible to play for the Gulls.

The Ducks also don’t need to rush McQueen into the NHL right now, and would prefer to push back his contract for a year rather than burn that first year by having him in Anaheim. They’ve moved beyond the rebuilding phase and are trying to capture the Pacific Division this month. Currently, they’ve got Carlsson, Granlund, Poehling and Washe as their centers and the also have McTavish, who has plenty of experience in the middle.

Going this route allows McQueen to play at a higher level and play meaningful games, since the Gulls are trying to lock down a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs. San Diego currently holds the seventh and final qualifying position in the Pacific Division. For now, McQueen still retains eligibility to return to Providence, but it’s believed the pro route is preferrable to him and the Ducks.