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

[Bonin21]

Best one- two- and three-class recruiting run in NCAA history

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Well this is some lovely news. Fantilli, McGroarty, Nazar, and Casey in '22? That is a crop.

 

[Dominance]

Well this is some lovely news. Fantilli, McGroarty, Nazar, and Casey in '22? That is a crop.

Fantilli’s not even eligible until ‘23, I might add. Depending on how the lineup shakes down, he could be primed to have an absolute monster season and force some difficult decisions at the top of the draft.

 

[William H Bonney]

While I don't think it's the best thing for each individual player's development to do so, you can't help but be impressed by what the Wolverines are putting together, even if it's difficult to win NCAA championships with really young teams.

 

[GunnarStahl]

Michigan is becoming to the NCAA what the Steel are to the USHL

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Michigan is becoming to the NCAA what the Steel are to the USHL

Yeah pretty soon every top prospect is gonna be playing for the Chicago Steel, to the Michigan Wolverines, to the Buffalo Sabres.

 

[bigdog16]

Michigan is becoming to the NCAA what the Steel are to the USHL

Except one wins championships and the other hasnt in 23 years

Its great that Michigan can attract all these top end prospects. But they have made 1 frozen 4 the past 10 years. And developmentally they are just hurting one another by stealing minutes from each other.

Good for Michigan but it sounds like a stupid idea to me

 

[kyle44]

Well this is some lovely news. Fantilli, McGroarty, Nazar, and Casey in '22? That is a crop.

Elite Prospects has Casey joining Michigan in 23-24. I assume that's an error?

 

[Bonin21]

Elite Prospects has Casey joining Michigan in 23-24. I assume that's an error?

Yes, EP is often garbage for that kinda thing

 

[Bonin21]

Except one wins championships and the other hasnt in 23 years

Its great that Michigan can attract all these top end prospects. But they have made 1 frozen 4 the past 10 years. And developmentally they are just hurting one another by stealing minutes from each other.

Good for Michigan but it sounds like a stupid idea to me

Put another less dramatic way, last year was the first year Michigan had assembled a group like this, and their season was ended by Covid rather than on the ice. So they have two or three more seasons to see if this plans works or not but as of now they are 0 for 0 in attempts.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Elite Prospects has Casey joining Michigan in 23-24. I assume that's an error?

Yeah I saw that too but I don't think that can be right.

If someone knows otherwise please correct me, but I can't imagine that Casey would have to play his D+1 year with the NTDP when Nazar, born ten days later, is going to U of M.

 

[Bonin21]

Yeah I saw that too but I don't think that can be right.

If someone knows otherwise please correct me, but I can't imagine that Casey would have to play his D+1 year with the NTDP when Nazar, born ten days later, is going to U of M.

It's not right. Plus, you can't play your D+1 year with the NTDP.

 

[wetcoast]

While I don't think it's the best thing for each individual player's development to do so, you can't help but be impressed by what the Wolverines are putting together, even if it's difficult to win NCAA championships with really young teams.

I agree at some point a player might be better off to go "star" in a different setting.

 

[bigdog16]

Put another less dramatic way, last year was the first year Michigan had assembled a group like this, and their season was ended by Covid rather than on the ice. So they have two or three more seasons to see if this plans works or not but as of now they are 0 for 0 in attempts.

Haha ok and they were 15-10

Far cry from a superteam if you ask me

 

[57special]

Michigan is the heavy favorite to win the title. They could probably skip half the year and still be heavy favorite when the tournament starts. But with 16 teams single elimination, no one team really ever has more than a 20% chance of winning and 1 in 5 isn't that high when you think about it.

Maybe. Minnesota is adding Broz, Knies, Pitlick and Lucius to an already strong roster, with a nice mix of young and older, mature talent.

 

[Bonin21]

Maybe. Minnesota is adding Broz, Knies, Pitlick and Lucius to an already strong roster, with a nice mix of young and older, mature talent.

I know, I'm a Gopher fan. Michigan is still favorite on paper. This may not be reflected in the preseason polls which will skew toward ending result from last year, but everyone knows the team to watch this year.

 

[Bonin21]

Haha ok and they were 15-10

Far cry from a superteam if you ask me

Three of the Fab Five 2.0 were draft eligible players stepping right into college hockey against mostly 20-24 year olds...

With that year under their belt those guys will be dominant this year, especially Power and Beniers.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

It's not right. Plus, you can't play your D+1 year with the NTDP.

Yeah I was 99% sure about that, didn't know if I was missing some strange loophole or something. Makes much more sense that EP just has the date listed wrong.

I agree at some point a player might be better off to go "star" in a different setting.

I could see an issue in the future, but currently I think Michigan's strong recruiting classes are much more of an asset than a detriment to players' development. When Beniers changed commitment to U of M some people were worried if he and Johnson would get enough spotlight, but ultimately they complimented each other very well and both were drafted top 5 alongside Power. On top of that Bordeleau had one of the best D+1 years of his draft class, and Brisson performed well too.

The '22 class is loaded, but a lot of the talent on Michigan's roster will be gone by the time they arrive. Beniers, Bordeleau, and Power will almost certainly leave. Brisson, Beecher, and Johnson I think likely move on as well. Hughes and Samoskevich likely return, but with a productive enough season who knows. There should be room in the top 6F/4D for all of Fantilli, McGroarty, Nazar, and Casey.

 

[montreal]

going to be interesting to see where he goes in the draft

 

[FMichael]

Forgive my ignorance, but which current, or former NHL'er does he remind anyone of?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Forgive my ignorance, but which current, or former NHL'er does he remind anyone of?

Leon Draisaitl. He may not reach that level, but I think his upside is somewhere in that realm, and it's a very similar type of skillset. Another that's been used before is John Tavares.

 

[William H Bonney]

He's more of a Jamie Benn stylistically to me.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Article on him in the Athletic.

Meet Rutger McGroarty, the Nebraska kid making history on his way to the 2022 NHL Draft

A few quotes.

About his leadership:

Usually, after having to name a captain for Five Nations, Team USA returns to Plymouth without one to let the remainder of the season determine the team’s leadership group closer to the year-end under-18 world championships. This season, after a team vote and discussions amongst its coaching staff, McGroarty has been allowed to keep the captaincy.

“The way he competes on and off the ice is really eye-catching,” says Cooley.

“The one thing is he’s always true and honest, which you can really appreciate as your captain,” Howard says.

“Rutger’s big for us. He’s a big team guy. He gets the guys going but he also likes to hold the guys accountable too. It really brings out the most of the guys in the games and skates. He’s really loud on the bench, in the locker room, everywhere,” Nazar says.

“When you’re a leader, really the biggest thing is that you’re going to have to have the ability to influence other people and I think he uses his ability to influence people in a positive way,” U18 head coach Adam Nightingale told The Athletic from his office at USA Hockey Arena. “So all of that went into the decision. He’s got a great personality. He’s just a really good person who cares about his teammates. We’re excited about it.”

Scoring against the team his father is the GM of:

After a second season of serious training, though, he started his final season at the program the way he started his first, registering 10 points in his first seven games out of the gate. The first five of those points, including a hat trick in the second game of the season, came against Jim’s Lumberjacks, an experience the father-son pair both cherish.

“It’s pretty cool playing Muskegon, just looking into the crowd and seeing him. But especially going to the rink before. He’s always like ‘Don’t play too well!’ because he cares. It’s his job and he’s an extremely competitive person. So after we beat him, he’s always a little salty,” Rutger said.

“It’s, uh … it’s, uh, interesting,” Jim added of playing against his son. “You want to see Muskegon win, but being on the other side, it’s fun to see my son grow. I’m not going to lie, I did throw a pump when he scored on us. At the end of the day, all I want is to see him have fun.”

 

[rt]

Is he primarily playing as LW on a line centered by Cooley? What do the lines usually look like for the USNTDP? Who are the other full time centers on the team? Nazar (2nd line) and Gauthier (3rd line)? I usually see McGroarty listed as a C while Nazar and Gauthier are usually listed as wingers. Yet on the USNTDP Twitter, when they post the lines on game days, the info graphic usually has McGroarty as 1LW, Cooley as 1C, Nazar as 2C and Gauthier as 3C.

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Is he primarily playing as LW on a line centered by Cooley? What do the lines usually look like for the USNTDP? Who are the other full time centers on the team? Nazar (2nd line) and Gauthier (3rd line)? I usually see McGroarty listed as a C while Nazar and Gauthier are usually listed as wingers. Yet on the USNTDP Twitter, when they post the lines on game days, the info graphic usually has McGroarty as 1LW, Cooley as 1C, Nazar as 2C and Gauthier as 3C.

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!

He’s only played winger at the NTDP, but I’ve seen him play center on some PK shifts. There are way too many centers for all of them to play center.

Cooley, McGroarty, Gauthier, Stramel, Snuggerud, Nazar, Spicer, Berard are all guys I think have a chance to play center in the pro game. I think they all project as centers, besides Nazar and Berard. I think Spicer could go either way. Fleming was also a natural center before he left. Lines change all the time, but he’s played a lot with Cooley.