The Pittsburgh Penguins decided to make a shakeup with the prospect pool last week. Pittsburgh traded away prospect Brayden Yager to the Winnipeg Jets for Rutger McGroarty. One of the reasons why Pittsburgh made this move was because there were questions about McGroarty’s future with the Jets organization. He was going to play for the Michigan Wolverines in the 2024-2025 season, but all of that changed when he was traded to the Penguins.
Former Wolverines Player Spoke To Media On Wednesday
The former Michigan Wolverines star spoke to the media on Wednesday. This was the first time he spoke to the media since being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization from the Winnipeg Jets. When he was traded to Pittsburgh, he also signed a three-year entry-level deal on the same day of the trade. Winnipeg drafted him 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft and the Penguins drafted Yager 14th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. McGroarty is only 20 years old. He is 6’1″ and weighs 205 lbs.
In 36 games a season ago with the Michigan Wolverines, he scored 16 goals and recorded 36 assists, along with a plus/minus rating of 17. In seven games as the team captain of the U.S.A. U20 team, he scored five goals and recorded four assists. His plus/minus rating was 8 during the WJC-20. Rutger McGroarty is ready to play against different competition. He will either be with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL or the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL to start the 2024-2025 season. McGroarty told Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop:
“For me, I’ve been promised a spot at the (Prospects Challenge), and that’s about it. So, I feel like I’m going to get what I deserve, and I’m going to come ready to work for camp. I like where my game’s at right now, but I’m just excited to get to camp and hopefully leave a good impression on them.”
A lot of Pittsburgh Penguins fans will also be paying close attention to him during the prospects challenge and so will the coaching staff. There is a chance that he could be on the Opening Night roster. Many wonder if he will be playing on a line with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin at some point during the 2024-2025 season. Rutger McGroarty also added about being traded from Winnipeg to Pittsburgh:
“My agents talked to them, and then I talked to them. I wanted to be upfront and honest with them, and just tell them that I wasn’t going to be signing with them. “I got nothing but respect for those guys, they handled it with a lot of class, and I wish them nothing but the best. But as I said, I’m fired up to get started here now.”
Playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is a lot different than playing for the Winnipeg Jets organization. Pittsburgh has won five Stanley Cup titles in franchise history and Winnipeg has yet to win a Stanley Cup title in franchise history. McGroarty has a chance to shine with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin moving forward. Crosby is not going to be the captain of this team forever. With Jake Guentzel no longer around on the team, maybe McGroarty could be the next team captain several years down the road.
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