This was certainly not a deal anyone was expecting.
Th Penguins and Winnipeg Jets have completed a deal that sent Pittsburgh’s top forward prospect for Winnipeg’s top forward prospect. The trade is one for one.
The Penguins and general manager Kyle Dubas acquired forward Rutger McGroarty from the Jets, giving up Brayden Yager to do so.
The Penguins have been very high on Yager since they drafted him 14th overall last year. So high in fact that Dubas felt the need to give a statement after the trade, in which he said: “We had a difficult decision to make with this trade because we hold Brayden Yager in such a high regard as a person and prospect.”
But, Dubas added that ultimately, he felt the prospect of adding McGroarty was too good to pass up.
“After much consideration, we decided that the opportunity to add Rutger McGroarty was ultimately in the best interest of the Penguins,” he continued.
“Rutger possesses the combination of ability, leadership and competitiveness that the Penguins need to achieve our goals in the short and long run. We look forward to welcoming Rutger and his family to the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins.”
But what exactly are the Penguins getting in this prospect swap?
McGroarty was the 14th overall pick by the Jets in 2022, but things have not gone smoothly between him and his draft team. McGroarty was insistent that he wanted to play in the NHL right away from the University of Michigan, a route that he has seen several of his college teammates take.
Those names include Columbus’ Adam Fantilli and New Jersey’s Luke Hughes.
The Jets reportedly had other plans for McGroarty. They wanted to start him in the American Hockey League after he turned pro, getting him professional experience before he earned the call to the NHL.
The situation with their unsigned pick had finally reached a breaking point, with McGroarty indicating he would not sign in Winnipeg.
One hurdle to that has already been taken care of on the Pittsburgh side; shortly after the trade, the Penguins inked him to a three year entry level contract that carries a $950K cap hit, if he makes the NHL roster.
And there is a very real chance he will. Dubas had to have had a strong belief that McGroarty’s talents could crack Pittsburgh’s opening night roster to be comfortable enough giving up Yager to do so.
McGroarty scored 16 goals and added 36 assists for 52 points in 32 games last year at the University of Michigan. He also appeared in 7 games for the USA U20 team at the World Junior Championships, where he tallied 5 goals and 4 assists.
His skills on the ice are incredibly enticing, and the 20-year old brings with him a little bit of size too, at 6′ 1 and over 200 pounds. Given his hype and potential, McGroarty becomes this team’s best prospect, bar none.
McGroarty is the exact type of player that any organization, but especially the Penguins, desperately want to have. He is the only true trade acquisition that Dubas has made this offseason (that is to say, not a player on an iffy/bad contract that also netted the Penguins draft picks), and he will bring with him a very competitive side that frankly, this team could use a lot more of.
There will be some concerns about adding a young player that thought a lot of himself and ruffled feathers in Winnipeg, but a plus side to this deal is that McGroarty will be incredibly eager to make a name for himself in Pittsburgh and on this Penguins roster.
His game has often been praised for how hard he works on the ice, no matter the circumstances.
This team has a ton of depth players that will be competing for jobs, but McGroarty’s battle for a job on the NHL roster will be one of the most interesting training camp stories.
While it would be premature to call it a lock that he ends up on the NHL roster, given his talent and Pittsburgh’s willingness to swing a deal for him, it seems like a safe bet.
Brayden Yager still can be an elite talent in the NHL. But the chances of him making the roster were slim at best. McGroarty will help spark the next young wave of Penguins right now.
I do wonder where his spot in the lineup would exactly be, but he could be in line for a pretty prime spot. Could a spot alongside Sidney Crosby be in the young forward’s near future?
The Penguins have a chance to create a new version of the Sid and The Kids line, with Crosby centering McGroarty and perhaps somebody like Cody Glass.
Regardless of where he plays, he instantly becomes the most exciting new Penguin acquired this offseason, and one of the most exciting players overall on this roster that features a lot of veterans, and a lot of bounce-back candidates.
(Featured photo from the Pittsburgh Penguins)
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