New Penguin Rutger McGroarty’s reputation takes another hit after trade from Winnipeg

Prospect Rutger McGroarty feels like the Pittsburgh Penguins were the right landing spot after the trade by the Winnipeg Jets, but that does not mean he wants to say more on the transaction.

A week after his move to the Penguins, McGroarty was asked about his decision to ask out of Winnipeg and what led to the trade. While the 14th-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft looked eager for a fresh start in Pittsburgh, he stayed mum on what led to the move, which got some pundits and fans wondering about his attitude and if he isn’t hiding more on his reputation and previously reported bad attitude.

“My agents talked to them, then I talked to them, and I wanted to be upfront and honest with them, and tell them I wasn’t going to be signing for them,” McGroarty said, short of details.

However, the kid does look like he has potential and can learn from his past shortcomings. It showed when he added:

“I got nothing but respect for those guys. They handled it with a lot of class. And I wish them nothing but the best.”

When it comes to the Penguins and having a short at cracking the main roster, McGroarty answered with confidence, which sometimes in his past, has been mistaken for arrogance.

“I feel like everything’s right here – the development path, the veteran guys that they have, the organization that they have and the town as well,” McGroarty said. “I went to a (Pittsburgh) Pirates game on Monday, like, the sports town atmosphere is unbelievable.

“I feel like I come to the rink every single day, work extremely hard and do everything with intent, and then hopefully drag other guys across the line with you and help them get better,” he added.

I guess only time will tell is McGroarty is mature enough to make the team in Pittsburgh. I’m thinking some time spent with captain Sidney Crosby could only help his learning curve.

Prior to the trade to the Pens, McGroarty’s reputation has taken quite the hit when it was rumoured that when the Jets first attempted to move him, the forward had caused the deal to fall apart due to unreasonable demands, “including a guarantee of substantial playing time and a role on the power-play.”

McGroarty was the Jets’ top pick, 14th overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft and was also a Hobey Baker Award nominee. He had 91 points in 75 games with the University of Michigan in the past two seasons, and now get the chance to show that he has learned from his past mistakes and is ready to make a brand new impression in the NHL.