F Rutger McGroarty - Signed by Penguins and playing in the AHL (2022, 14th, WPG; traded to PIT)

[Hockeyville USA]

Does read very similar to Gauthier. I gotta say I don't really understand Rutger here. He think's he's ready, but the team cant guarantee a spot. So why not sign the contract and bet on yourself to make the team, you can't just expect a guaranteed spot

Rutger has been used to an extremely high quality of hockey life the last several years playing on the all star team known as the NTDP and now at the University of Michigan, a NCAA hockey blue blood where the team is treated extremely well. He has played quite well at every level, dating back to his minor hockey days with the Oakland Junior Grizzlies in Southeast Michigan.

With everything going well and essentially been handed to him with little to no adversity (injury this past year being the only exception), he feels that he is good enough (or potentially entitled as a 1st round pick) to be an off the bat, right now NHLer.

As others have mentioned, I would guess that the high quality of NCAA hockey/university life that he is living is preferable over bus rides to Des Moines Iowa, Grand Rapids Michigan, Rockford Illinois, and Milwaukee Wisconsin, playing a 3 in 3 weekend at times. So he has decided it is "NHL or NCAA only", no desire to have to grind in the A.

Not saying it is right (it's likely not), but just trying to hypothesize on the mentality that he likely has.

 

[Finster8]

Rutger has seen how the Jets developed Perfetti and wants nothing to do with BS. How did the youngsters do learning from the vets in their long playoff run. Sure hope they can get that mojo back.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

If I'm the Jets, Senators and maybe Utah, I'd really avoid drafting kids from the US collegiate system. This has way too high of a chance of happening to these organizations.

Yeah, Ottawa’s sure been burned by Tkachuk… wait, no, Sanderson… wait, no, Norris… uhh, I mean Pinto! Or wait, Kleven? Kleven? No? Hmm. Bernard-Docker? White? Huh, they all signed with no issue!

Well, surely they will bolt when it’s time to extend. Whats that, they all signed longterm deals? Huh.

Its almost like what youre hinting at basically never happens, and situations like this are almost always due to teams mismanaging their players.

 

[gojetsgo]

Rutger has seen how the Jets developed Perfetti and wants nothing to do with BS. How did the youngsters do learning from the vets in their long playoff run. Sure hope they can get that mojo back.

perfetti:
age 19 - top 6 until injured
age 20 - top 6 until injured
age 21 - top 6 until massive slump

 

[Zarzh]

Rutger has seen how the Jets developed Perfetti and wants nothing to do with BS. How did the youngsters do learning from the vets in their long playoff run. Sure hope they can get that mojo back.

To be fair Perfetti isn't very good, but it is a bad look because he puts up some points.

 

[crowi]

If I’m any org I avoid it. If it can happen to the flyers it can happen to anyone

Flyers management had something to do with that. I've read Gauthier was basically promised a few games to burn a year off his ELC by the management, then Briere came in as new GM and didn't hold that promise. It's easy to blame only the player for these things, especially as a fan, but usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Jets should move carefully here. You can't treat every prospect the same, even though in a perfect world that would be preferable. High pick NCAA players can make demands.

 

[StreetHawk]

Rutger has been used to an extremely high quality of hockey life the last several years playing on the all star team known as the NTDP and now at the University of Michigan, a NCAA hockey blue blood where the team is treated extremely well. He has played quite well at every level, dating back to his minor hockey days with the Oakland Junior Grizzlies in Southeast Michigan.

With everything going well and essentially been handed to him with little to no adversity (injury this past year being the only exception), he feels that he is good enough (or potentially entitled as a 1st round pick) to be an off the bat, right now NHLer.

As others have mentioned, I would guess that the high quality of NCAA hockey/university life that he is living is preferable over bus rides to Des Moines Iowa, Grand Rapids Michigan, Rockford Illinois, and Milwaukee Wisconsin, playing a 3 in 3 weekend at times. So he has decided it is "NHL or NCAA only", no desire to have to grind in the A.

Not saying it is right (it's likely not), but just trying to hypothesize on the mentality that he likely has.

All an nhl club can do is offer you the opportunity. Up to the player to seize it. Does Win legitimately have an opening in their top 6? Connor, Scheiff, Ehlers (unless traded with his ufa up in 2025), Vilardi, Perfetti maybe? Have Iaofollo and Nino to step into the 2nd line if needed. And other prospects are going to compete for that spot as well.

No slam dunk or automatic that he’s going to be in the top 6 unless he performs very well.

 

[57special]

Mid 1st round picks going back for a 3rd year of college is a step back for development for prospects. Wrong decision, playing in ahl would helped him in the long run over college. Don't believe the jets are OK with this regardless of what they say.

Playing three years in college and no AHL didn't hurt Faber's development.

 

[Legion34]

Can he play C??

 

[57special]

It seems like many like to post without even reading the article about why he isn't talking to the Jet's right now. This has nothing to do with the city of Winnipeg, or Canada


"This isn’t a situation where the player wants out of Winnipeg because of his views on the city. Instead, there appears to be a disconnect between how Winnipeg’s player development viewed and communicated its plan with McGroarty and McGroarty’s view of his own future. The desire to play in the NHL played a big role in McGroarty’s decision not to sign in April; put simply, he viewed himself as more ready than the team did. At first, this difference in opinion didn’t appear to necessitate McGroarty’s exit from the organization. The relationship has changed since the start of McGroarty’s offseason, though. He no longer believes his future is with the Jets."

 

[Ace]

Has his skating improved?

 

[Puckstopper]

Apparently Rutger and Gauthier are best friends, so there's that. Maybe Anaheim tries to get in on this lol.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

I don’t understand why people get all upset about players using the leverage they have to play where they want. That doesn’t even appear to be the case here, but if it was that should be perfectly acceptable. Yes, it’s a privilege to play in the NHL. But these players have earned that privilege. They should not be put down for trying to live where they want to live for the next 10-15 years of their life.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

All an nhl club can do is offer you the opportunity. Up to the player to seize it. Does Win legitimately have an opening in their top 6? Connor, Scheiff, Ehlers (unless traded with his ufa up in 2025), Vilardi, Perfetti maybe? Have Iaofollo and Nino to step into the 2nd line if needed. And other prospects are going to compete for that spot as well.

No slam dunk or automatic that he’s going to be in the top 6 unless he performs very well.

Ehlers is likely being traded. Vilardi should be a center for them, considering there other options are bums. And where is there any indication he can’t play third line? Does this only exist in Winnipeg where the third line has to be a bunch of journeyman veterans?

 

[FlyguyOX]

Flyers management had something to do with that. I've read Gauthier was basically promised a few games to burn a year off his ELC by the management, then Briere came in as new GM and didn't hold that promise. It's easy to blame only the player for these things, especially as a fan, but usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Jets should move carefully here. You can't treat every prospect the same, even though in a perfect world that would be preferable. High pick NCAA players can make demands.

We’ll never know the truth because Gauthier won’t tell anyone.

The team went through a GM change and the locker room was cancerous because of guys like Hayes and Provorov.

It seems like many like to post without even reading the article about why he isn't talking to the Jet's right now. This has nothing to do with the city of Winnipeg, or Canada


"This isn’t a situation where the player wants out of Winnipeg because of his views on the city. Instead, there appears to be a disconnect between how Winnipeg’s player development viewed and communicated its plan with McGroarty and McGroarty’s view of his own future. The desire to play in the NHL played a big role in McGroarty’s decision not to sign in April; put simply, he viewed himself as more ready than the team did. At first, this difference in opinion didn’t appear to necessitate McGroarty’s exit from the organization. The relationship has changed since the start of McGroarty’s offseason, though. He no longer believes his future is with the Jets."

“I deserve to be playing for a playoff team in their lineup even though ive never played an NHL game” is a wild opinion to hold.

 

[GordieHowYaDoin]

We’ll never know the truth because Gauthier won’t tell anyone.

The team went through a GM change and the locker room was cancerous because of guys like Hayes and Provorov.


“I deserve to be playing for a playoff team in their lineup even though ive never played an NHL game” is a wild opinion to hold.

I honestly like his confidence, it could make one sink or swim. Chevy loves the over-ripening of prospect development, which can be good or bad depending on the player (wont work in Rutgers case) and the kid has put up the numbers in NCAA to warrant a small sample size imo. Let him earn his keep and if he fails, he can tuck tail to the Moose.
Like others have said, Jet's FO better tread lightly here as he's not the type of player you want to lose.

 

[Forge]

I don’t understand why people get all upset about players using the leverage they have to play where they want. That doesn’t even appear to be the case here, but if it was that should be perfectly acceptable. Yes, it’s a privilege to play in the NHL. But these players have earned that privilege. They should not be put down for trying to live where they want to live for the next 10-15 years of their life.

Yeah, I have no issues with players exerting their leverage over an organization.

The league can fix it in the next negotiations if they want, but my guess is that they won't because it's just not seen as a big enough deal.

If a player is in a fortunate situation where they can get what they want, more power to them.

 

[seafoam]

But what’s his actual ceiling?

 

[Zarzh]

We’ll never know the truth because Gauthier won’t tell anyone.

The team went through a GM change and the locker room was cancerous because of guys like Hayes and Provorov.


“I deserve to be playing for a playoff team in their lineup even though ive never played an NHL game” is a wild opinion to hold.

I do wonder if it is more simple. In that Cutter and Rutger would be more willing to be patient if they were going to winning cultures with good development and bright futures.

 

[LouJersey]

I don’t understand why people get all upset about players using the leverage they have to play where they want. That doesn’t even appear to be the case here, but if it was that should be perfectly acceptable. Yes, it’s a privilege to play in the NHL. But these players have earned that privilege. They should not be put down for trying to live where they want to live for the next 10-15 years of their life.

Well said

 

[SK94]

The world has changed. I think with this generation these cases will become very common.

 

[Tatar Shots]

A lot of people are say he is acting entitled, but from a lifestyle perspective I really don't see it that way. If there is not a spot on the NHL team for him this year, why wouldn't a 20 year old prefer to stay in one of the very best cities for someone that age and enjoy another year of the college experience? If the Jets are telling him he won't play in the NHL next year, why not continue to develop at U of M instead of joining the Moose?

 

[gojetsgo]

A lot of people are say he is acting entitled, but from a lifestyle perspective I really don't see it that way. If there is not a spot on the NHL team for him this year, why wouldn't a 20 year old prefer to stay in one of the very best cities for someone that age and enjoy another year of the college experience? If the Jets are telling him he won't play in the NHL next year, why not continue to develop at U of M instead of joining the Moose?

lol, this isn't the problem, jets had no problem letting him go back to college instead of joining the moose... the problem is he thinks he's nhl ready and now wants a trade because we wouldn't guarantee him a spot

 

[57special]

I've forgotten, was MI finished their season before the NHL regular season finished? Could they have signed him, and sat him on the bench, or given him a few minutes at the end of the season, allowing him to burn a year?

 

[gojetsgo]

I've forgotten, was MI finished their season before the NHL regular season finished? Could they have signed him, and sat him on the bench, or given him a few minutes at the end of the season, allowing him to burn a year?

"Winnipeg wanted to sign McGroarty to a professional contract in April but was unwilling to promise a path to playing time"

“We made it very open to him at the onset that we were more than willing to sign him, more than willing to turn him pro. But in the same token, we need him to make that decision for what he feels is best for his development,” Cheveldayoff said in May. “I think Rutger is looking for an even bigger role where he can help lead a team to greatness and help his development there.”

we were willing to sign him but he wanted a spot in the nhl, jets wouldn't guarantee a spot for him and so we are here