BUFFALO — Roger McQueen said that being a full participant in the fitness testing at the NHL Scouting Combine at HarborCenter on Saturday was as important as any of his results.
The forward with Brandon of the Western Hockey League was limited to 17 regular-season games because of a fracture in the L4/L5 vertebrae in his back.
“Being able to come here and have that back issue past me now, it’s so nice to have that in my past,” McQueen said. “I think I came a long way this year with that. So I think just having that in the past and being able to come here and compete with my buddies is awesome.”
McQueen (6-foot-5, 198 pounds) was among the top 25 in one of the tests, finishing eighth in the horizontal jump at 112.8 inches. But he also had a 20.7-inch vertical jump, did nine pull-ups and completed the pro agility 20-yard shuttle run in 4.50 seconds starting to his left and 4.49 seconds starting to his right.
The 18-year-old is No. 8 in NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters.
“Obviously I took a lot of time off this year, just with rest there,” McQueen said. “So wasn’t too sure what I was going to get coming into it. Just trying to do my best and trying to complete all the stuff to my best ability. I was pretty happy with what I saw.”
Anton Frondell of Djurgarden in Sweden’s second division, who is No. 1 in Central Scouting’s final ranking of International skaters, had a standout performance on the two stationary bike tests.
The 18-year-old lasted 14:00 on the Vo2 Max bike test on Friday, which measures endurance and recovery. His peak power output of 16.8 watts of power per kilogram of body weight on the Wingate test Saturday was tied for second with forward Arvid Drott from Djurgarden’s team in Sweden’s junior league. Defensemen Charlton Trethewey of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team was first with 17.0 watts per kilogram in the 30-second sprint.
Matthew Schaefer (6-2, 186), the top-ranked player on Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters, was fourth in peak power output at 16.6 watts per kilogram. He went 12:00 on the VO2.
“Obviously the VO2 is a little bit longer, your legs that last minute you’re pushing, your legs burn out,” he said. “In the Wingate, your stomach hurts a little bit after but they obviously are both tough. But really happy with [results for] both of them.”
Schaefer also had a 96.0-inch horizontal jump, a 17.6-inch vertical jump and completed the pro agility shuttle run in 4.52 seconds starting to the left and 4.43 seconds to the right.
The defenseman with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, who played 17 games this season because of a broken clavicle sustained Dec. 27 while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, was a limited participant in the testing, passing on the bench press and pull-ups.
University of Michigan center William Horcoff set a combine record at 124.8 inches in the horizontal jump. Horcoff, who began the season with the NTDP U-18 team, passed the mark of another NTDP alum, New York Rangers defenseman prospect EJ Emery, who went 123.0 inches at the 2024 combine.
Horcoff, No. 24 on Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters, said he might reach out to Emery to let him know about the record.
“I might later,” he said. “I know EJ pretty well.”
Michigan State right wing Shane Vansaghi finished first in grip strength, measuring 180 pounds with each hand, and did 15 pull-ups, tied for second with Seattle (WHL) center Braeden Cootes and center Eric Nilson from Djurgarden’s junior team. Right wing Bill Zonnon of Rouyn-Noranda in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League was first with 16.
Milton Gastrin from Modo’s team in Sweden’s junior league was fastest in the pro agility shuttle run starting to the left at 4.12 seconds, and fifth starting to the right at 4.24 seconds.
Brandon center Carter Klippenstein was fastest starting to the right at 4.20 seconds.
Center Matous Jan Kucharcik from Slavia’s team in Czechia’s junior league lasted a combine-best 14:41 on the VO2 bike test.
Right wing Ryker Lee from Madison of the United States Hockey League had the best vertical jump at 25.67 inches.
Oshawa (OHL) defenseman Haoxi Wang had an 82.25-inch wingspan, just ahead of NTDP defensemen Carter Amico and Maceo Phillips, each of whom measured 82.0 inches.
The New York Islanders have the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft which will take place at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 27-28.
NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report
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