F Rutger McGroarty - WBS Penguins, AHL (2022, 14th, WPG; traded to PIT)

[Ace]

Maybe the issue is that the Jets have unrealistic expectations for young players. Why is the instinct always to blame the player?

If you are McGroarty, you see your former teammates Cooley, Gauthier, Fantilli, Brindley, Hughes, Nazar, Casey, Hutson jump right into the NHL and in some cases not play any minor league time afterwards. The idea he’s not at a similar level to at least some of those players is ridiculous. He has every right to ask for what they got. If a team doesn’t want to comply, well then they should trade him.

And he quite literally EARNED an NHL spot to start the season with a great preseason. If he so clearly needed to ride buses, especially for multiple years, in the minors, how did that happen? Quit the pettiness and stage five clinging. For all we know, he was demoted for two weeks to avoid the crazy backlash he’d get from these sorts when the Penguins play in Winnipeg today.

Brother I watched Rutger McGroarty play in a prospect tournament, a preseason game against an all NHL squad and a preseason game against a team whose top 27 player were in Europe. He struggled or was invisible in every one. Even against prospects.

Great preseason? He didn’t look ready for the AHL. You’re making shit up.

 

[Boonk]

Maybe the issue is that the Jets have unrealistic expectations for young players. Why is the instinct always to blame the player?

If you are McGroarty, you see your former teammates Cooley, Gauthier, Fantilli, Brindley, Hughes, Nazar, Casey, Hutson jump right into the NHL and in some cases not play any minor league time afterwards. The idea he’s not at a similar level to at least some of those players is ridiculous. He has every right to ask for what they got. If a team doesn’t want to comply, well then they should trade him.

And he quite literally EARNED an NHL spot to start the season with a great preseason. If he so clearly needed to ride buses, especially for multiple years, in the minors, how did that happen? Quit the pettiness and stage five clinging. For all we know, he was demoted for two weeks to avoid the crazy backlash he’d get from these sorts when the Penguins play in Winnipeg today.

No player has a "right" to earn a roster spot just from simply demanding it on any team. He wasnt going to earn it here in Winnipeg and now very clearly didnt earn it in Pittsburgh.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Brother I watched Rutger McGroarty play in a prospect tournament, a preseason game against an all NHL squad and a preseason game against a team whose top 27 player were in Europe. He struggled or was invisible in every one. Even against prospects.

Great preseason? He didn’t look ready for the AHL. You’re making shit up.

He had 6 points in 6 games and was a +7.

I don’t think I’m making anything up.

 

[Erika]

Maybe the issue is that the Jets have unrealistic expectations for young players. Why is the instinct always to blame the player?

If you are McGroarty, you see your former teammates Cooley, Gauthier, Fantilli, Brindley, Hughes, Nazar, Casey, Hutson jump right into the NHL and in some cases not play any minor league time afterwards. The idea he’s not at a similar level to at least some of those players is ridiculous. He has every right to ask for what they got. If a team doesn’t want to comply, well then they should trade him.

And he quite literally EARNED an NHL spot to start the season with a great preseason. If he so clearly needed to ride buses, especially for multiple years, in the minors, how did that happen? Quit the pettiness and stage five clinging. For all we know, he was demoted for two weeks to avoid the crazy backlash he’d get from these sorts when the Penguins play in Winnipeg today.

Rutger, you should stop posting messages on HFboards and start practicing more on your hockey skills. Just stop wasting your time and start to work harder... it'll help your career, believe me... maybe starts with some skating lessons to improve your speed idk.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Don't really have any strong feelings about the player, but the situation isn't ideal. Calgary already lost a future Norris winning prospect to this. It can't become a trend or Canadian teams won't be able to reliably draft US players if they're all going to get home sick and demand trades south of the border.

Fox is the wrong example to cite about a trend of US players not wanting to play in Canada. Calgary traded his rights to Carolina, and he wouldn't sign there either.

His intention was to sign with the Rangers, period. Mission accomplished.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Starting to think he's way over his head which is where he needs the most development. All the tools to be an excellent player, but his cockiness tells me that it's the wall in the way of his development.

 

[PattyLafontaine]

Stop saying Rutger McGroarty ... it's not going to happen Gretchen

 

[Thechozen1]

Earned a spot on the Penguins by default due to forward injuries.

 

[Fatass]

Starting to think he's way over his head which is where he needs the most development. All the tools to be an excellent player, but his cockiness tells me that it's the wall in the way of his development.

All the tools except skating. And that’s a pretty important tool. He’s an entitled kid who struggles to keep up because of slow feet. He’s a long way from being an NHLer. It’s actually more likely he isn’t an NHLer. considering where he was drafted, he’s a 40% chance NHLer.

 

[3074326]

If he sucks so much, stop complaining about it and move on. It's getting pretty old. Feels like high school breakups in here.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

He had 6 points in 6 games and was a +7.

I don’t think I’m making anything up.

practice stats?

What are his stats in games?

NHL 3 gp, 0 pts, -1
AHL 2 gp, 0 pts, -1

He’s gonna be a great middle six player, just need some work - not nhl ready.

To your point, definitely training camp ready tho. AHL is a great training camp!

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

If he sucks so much, stop complaining about it and move on. It's getting pretty old. Feels like high school breakups in here.

I haven’t seen anyone saying he sucks. Who’s saying he sucks?

I’m quite enjoying the thread - if you’re not you don’t have to partake.
There are many threads on hfboards you to enjoy! (Although to be fair there aren’t many about the suckiest guy that ever did suck)

Uh oh - bells ringin’ , gotta go! I can’t be late for math class or Principal Belding will suspend me!

 

[Yasuo]

practice stats?

What are his stats in games?

NHL 3 gp, 0 pts, -1
AHL 2 gp, 0 pts, -1

He’s gonna be a great middle six player, just need some work - not nhl ready.

To your point, definitely training camp ready tho. AHL is a great training camp!

If he improve his staking he can easily be a top 6 player even a top liner. If he doesnt or cant he could just also never become a regular nhler. So for me his ceilling is anywere from first liner to ahl regular depending on how he improve his major weakness.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

If he improve his staking he can easily be a top 6 player even a top liner. If he doesnt or cant he could just also never become a regular nhler. So for me his ceilling is anywere from first liner to ahl regular depending on how he improve his major weakness.

Absolutely. I’m just referencing his scouting reports and expectations when drafted as an awesome middle sixer. For context - in Jets land we were excited about him as an eventual replacement for Lowry in the middle six - but with a little more scoring. And future captain potential. There was no expectation for him to be the next Kyle Connor.

Hartnelk down played on a top line with Claude Giroux. Anything’s possible.

If he ended up driving a top line that would be through the moon exceeding expectations and current skill set - which would be awesome!

 

[Fatass]

If he improve his staking he can easily be a top 6 player even a top liner. If he doesnt or cant he could just also never become a regular nhler. So for me his ceilling is anywere from first liner to ahl regular depending on how he improve his major weakness.

Isn’t more the issue with this player whether he thinks he needs to improve to be an NHLer?

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

3 gp in nhl 0 pts

3 gp in AHL 0 pts

Hope this kid eventually gets his first pro point. Off to a slow start. Must be having a hard time adjusting to the AHL from NCAA.

Hopefully he at least gets an apple tomorrow.

 

[Fantomas]

Whenever I'm about to give a long speech to many people, I say 'Rutger McGroarty' repeatedly about a dozen times in front of the mirror.

 

[William H Bonney]

3 gp in nhl 0 pts

3 gp in AHL 0 pts

Hope this kid eventually gets his first pro point. Off to a slow start. Must be having a hard time adjusting to the AHL from NCAA.

Hopefully he at least gets an apple tomorrow.

He has very heavy feet and subpar skating. Slow start is not unexpected at all. The question is will he finally improve his skating.

 

[jfhabs]

He was sooo overrated on the Trade board... Dare you say he's not a good skater and doesn't project as a sure fire 1st line winger .....

Still a good prospect/player

 

[Ace]

Stage 5 clinging.

These fans are completely validating the decision he made to ask for a trade.

He’s got 0 points and is a -3 in the AHL. Which is somehow worse than his 0 points and -1 in the NHL.

He wasn’t ready. Everyone told him he wasn’t ready. Pittsburgh tried to pretend he was ready. Lasted three games before they couldn’t hide it anymore. He goes out every game and proves them wrong at an even lower level.

Should have stayed in school. If not because it’s the level of play he belongs at…because he could have stood to learn some things while making decisions as dumb as he has.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I'm sure you're actually very concerned about the future of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as was the fan who bumped the thread.

Must have nothing to do with the obsession fans of this team have with this player on another team. Brayden Yager is off to a slow start compared to his stats from last season (in a much bigger sample). I'm sure you'd believe it's normal for Penguins fans to start spamming discussions of him and calling him a bust.

Yager is pacing for slightly less points while still pacing for 100, versus McGroarty having no points...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yager is pacing for slightly less points while still pacing for 100, versus McGroarty having no points...

Yager is playing with future janitors and grocery baggers. McGroarty is playing with pro hockey players (and let’s conveniently forget that he had 6 in 6 preseason games).

 

[Fatass]

Yager is playing with future janitors and grocery baggers. McGroarty is playing with pro hockey players (and let’s conveniently forget that he had 6 in 6 preseason games).

The Pens need youth. If McGroarty was an nhl level player he’d be in their lineup. If he still belonged to the Jets he’d be a long ways off. Imo the kid picked the right club to get an nhl shot, he’s just not (yet) an NHLer even on a bad club that desperately needs young legs.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

He’s got 0 points and is a -3 in the AHL. Which is somehow worse than his 0 points and -1 in the NHL.

He wasn’t ready. Everyone told him he wasn’t ready. Pittsburgh tried to pretend he was ready. Lasted three games before they couldn’t hide it anymore. He goes out every game and proves them wrong at an even lower level.

Should have stayed in school. If not because it’s the level of play he belongs at…because he could have stood to learn some things while making decisions as dumb as he has.

Do you always make definitive decisions about players based on 4 pro games?

Will Smith has 0 points and is -4 in 6 pro games. Bust city.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

Yager is playing with future janitors and grocery baggers. McGroarty is playing with pro hockey players (and let’s conveniently forget that he had 6 in 6 preseason games).

Mcgroarty def had a nice preseason that hints of potential to come.

Excited for him to get his first professional point. Hopefully it’s tonite. The AHL can be a tough league for kids. Hopefully it clicks for him tonite and he doesn’t look back!