F Rutger McGroarty - University of Michigan, NCAA (2022, 14th, WPG; traded to PIT)

[lanky]

i dont blame him one bit for not wanting to live in Winnipeg

I'm not suggesting he should want to live in Winnipeg, but your speculation that he didn't, is just speculation. I believe the drama was about securing an NHL spot sooner - just as reported.

 

[Oscar The Grouch]

LOL, this guy launches his own version of LeBron's The Decision all-summer and then can't even stick with the big-club. Dime-a-dozen prospect. Everyone has a couple.

 

[antman12]

If he would just come out and give his reasoning for requested a trade all of this speculation would go away. He would receive some backlash and Winn fans would hold a grudge but at least people would know his reasoning.

In that sense its similar to the Gauthier situation in Philly that has left everybody speculating. Just own it and move on.

Then again, they both got their way (Gauthier certainly) so why would they care and screw us fans right?

 

[Thechozen1]

I don't think they promised him an NHL spot at all. In his first press conference he literally said they didn't promise him anything and he'd have to earn it.

Of course that’s what he’d say to the media. Would sure rub a lot of the other prospects the wrong way if he stated otherwise. I don’t believe anything that comes out of that kid’s mouth. I saw him pose as the media darling at 2 Jets development camps, saying all the right things.

 

[Fatass]

I don't think they promised him an NHL spot at all. In his first press conference he literally said they didn't promise him anything and he'd have to earn it.

Sure. And that’s 100% truth.
Of course he was promised the nhl spot. Even Dubas had to defend the decision to keep him up to start the year when pressed on the matter.
McGroarty needs to get over his entitlement. The thing is he’s already very close to his ceiling. There’s not much runway of development left for him. It’s the entitlement that’s in his way.

 

[BLONG7]

LOL, this guy launches his own version of LeBron's The Decision all-summer and then can't even stick with the big-club. Dime-a-dozen prospect. Everyone has a couple.

It would seem he has been kicked off his high horse. Not a good start to his NHL career.
It will be interesting if he goes down, and puts in the work in order to return?

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't think they promised him an NHL spot at all. In his first press conference he literally said they didn't promise him anything and he'd have to earn it.

It's because the report is totally fabricated, all of Chevy, Dubas and McGroarty have flat out said that his trade request was not about getting a guaranteed NHL role and that he wasn't given one by the Penguins.

People just hate the kid for having the audacity to not want to play for Winnipeg, so they want to make up a reason for why he asked for a trade to shit talk him.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

He is definitely NHL ready and fully earned a job that was open due to 2 injuries. Now is he ready to be a difference maker? Diff question. He did not look like a big time difference maker early in the reg season, but wasn’t bad or a negative either.

Pens have a lot of guys that can do the same thing (adequately fill a bottom 6 role).

He is the only waiver ineligible skater the Pens have. Made sense to send him down when healthy if he didn’t light it up, which he didn’t. Rust returned and that was that.

Kid looks good for 20 years old, how he develops his strength and his skill will determine where he ends up slotting into a lineup. His skating looks very passable in a good way, esp relative to how I thought it would look.

With how they were using him (3rd line LW and no special teams time), I think it’s better for him to be a big shot in the AHL anyway. He was a 3rd liner at ES, but with special teams had the lowest TOI avg of any forward.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

It's because the report is totally fabricated, all of Chevy, Dubas and McGroarty have flat out said that his trade request was not about getting a guaranteed NHL role and that he wasn't given one by the Penguins.

People just hate the kid for having the audacity to not want to play for Winnipeg, so they want to make up a reason for why he asked for a trade to shit talk him.

Yeah the reality is he just didn't want to live in WPG. The guaranteed ice-time stuff was all bs IMO.

That is plenty enough for a Winnipeg fan to hate on him though. We draft you, you act all excited about going to the Jets, say its your favourite team blah blah blah then demand out before you play a game? f*** you.

I am not watching his every movement but he will be booed mercilessly if he comes to Winnipeg.

 

[josra33]

Seems like the goalposts are now being moved.

He quite literally got an NHL job. That's it. That's the end of that discussion. He got what he wanted, and Pittsburgh held up their end.

Obviously there's no guarantee on what happens once that happens. Maybe he struggles. Maybe he doesn't. He's not a Bedard or Michkov. It likely won't be smooth sailing from there. Isn't for most 20 year olds trying to prove themselves in this league. But he got the opportunity with Pittsburgh he wanted.

And beyond that, I'm not sure how anything has been proven that he's not ready for the NHL. He's played less than 35 total minutes in the NHL. And even if we want to go there, he looked absolutely okay in the game I saw and had a good preseason. If anything, the evidence points to that he is NHL ready. Further, Pittsburgh is going to give him an opportunity that he wouldn't have gotten in Winnipeg. For all we know, Winnipeg might've not given him any opportunity to be a regular in the NHL this year no matter how well he did in the minors. That won't be the case in Pittsburgh, and they've already shown that they are willing to give him the chance to play in the NHL, if he earned it.

So save the stage five clinging. Let it go. You traded for a good player. You don't need to be so petty.

Bro literally said “technically he made the NHL” like that’s not a goal post moving comment in itself!

 

[StreetHawk]

With how they were using him (3rd line LW and no special teams time), I think it’s better for him to be a big shot in the AHL anyway. He was a 3rd liner at ES, but with special teams had the lowest TOI avg of any forward.

This was the reality for him leaving school. NHL isn't a place (especially on a club hoping to make the PO) for 20 year olds who don't play one of the special teams unless you bring something unique, like a big physical game (which is not likely for most 20 year olds vs fully grown men).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can bitter people stop saying he’s not good enough for the NHL? Thats simply not true. He’s played less than 35 minutes. Nothing is proven that quickly. He had an objectively good preseason and earned it. And has plenty of prior pedigree.