The Pittsburgh Penguins made a big move on Thursday, acquiring forward Rutger McGroarty from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Brayden Yager. The trade comes after McGroarty, who was drafted 14th overall by the Jets in 2022, said he didn’t feel right being a part of the Jets organization, leaving Winnipeg with more questions than answers.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff spoke to the media following the trade, expressing confusion over McGroarty’s decision to leave. “If there’s a specific reason, Rutger hasn’t told us,” Cheveldayoff said. He described a series of conversations with McGroarty and his agent, starting in June at the NHL Draft Combine, where the player’s camp first indicated his desire for a trade.
Related: Rutger McGroarty Traded by the Jets to the Penguins
According to Cheveldayoff, McGroarty expressed that “it just didn’t feel right” when he arrived at the Jets’ development camp. Even after several follow-up meetings, including one face-to-face with McGroarty, no concrete reason was given for his trade request. Cheveldayoff recalled a conversation with McGroarty’s agent who noted, “When he got to development camp here, he put the jersey on, it became real, and it just didn’t feel right at that time.”
The lack of clarity surrounding McGroarty’s departure leaves the Jets scratching their heads, but they moved on in the best way they could — adding a solid prospect of their own in Yager. Cheveldayoff said he had multiple conversations with different teams and nothing presented itself that the organization felt comfortable with. The Yager option was different.
Penguins Immediately Signed McGroarty
Meanwhile, the Penguins have quickly signed McGroarty to a three-year, entry-level contract. Pittsburgh is expected to provide McGroarty with ample opportunity to play significant minutes this coming season. It’s not clear if promises were made to get ice time with someone like Sidney Crosby, but McGroarty will likely get a look.
As for the Jets, Cheveldayoff emphasized that there were never any discussions with McGroarty’s camp about his path to the NHL.
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