Confirmed Trade: [PIT/WPG] Rutger McGroarty for Brayden Yager

[LOFIN]

How is this deal a $20 bill for 2 $10 bills? It’s a straight up swap where the Penguins are getting the better prospect.

And if you want to go with the $20 comparison, at least with McGroarty you get that money NOW as opposed to in a few years.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

Chevy is such a good gm keeps getting great value for players asking out i think longterm Jets win this i prefer Yager’s ceilling

 

[Mr Kot]

Looks like I was right about Dubas


Again.

 

[wej20]

Chevy did quite well in this trade - hard to imagine a better return given McGroarty's trade demand.

That being said, IIRC according to Friedman - this whole trade demand was put into motion when Chevy decided against signing McGroarty in April after Michigan's season ending either because the Jets were in a playoff push and didn't want to bring him in and/or burn a year of his ELC.

I think most would also argue that McGroarty has more trade value currently than Yager.

Chevy seemed to put himself in this unenviable position, even if he made the best out of it.

Imagine McGroarty had plenty of value around the league but finding a 1 for 1 swap for a similar level prospect was probably difficult.

 

[WingsToPick4th]

Yager imo has a higher ceiling
Rutger higher floor and more nhl ready
Good deal by WPG for a guy who wanted out

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

It's a fair deal in a bubble but the lack of leverage for Winnipeg makes this a poor showing for Dubas

It’s easy to say this in a 1 to 1 world.

But there’s not a chance in hell there weren’t other teams involved in this. Simply makes no common sense that there wasn’t. If the Pens were the lone horse, then yes, probably spent too much.

But there had to be other teams which forced the Pens to up the ante on a player they obviously wanted bad.

 

[FinlandPanther]

No you can't, but now he's shunning both the Jets and the Wolverines after making a big show of committing to them back in June.

I mean yeah it’s a bad look but he’s trying to secure the bag. I’d be pissed too though lol.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

McGroarty is the better prospect but very good return for the Jets for a guy who wanted out.

 

[Forge]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826659417007554817

So much for Mr. Character. It was always about playing in the NHL next season.

I'm not sure that's negative on his character

 

[Habs10Habs]

I don't like it for Pittsburgh

 

[Torontonian]

Chevy did well for the Jets here.

Dubas baffles me, you have a team under the gun and know that Mcgroaty isn't going to play for the Jets, and you still swap your top prospect for him? Feels like they could have squeezed them.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

I'm OK with not getting him after seeing what it cost PIT, but as soon as the news came that he wanted out, I thought he'd fit perfectly with the type of player Detroit keeps drafting.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Chevy did well for the Jets here.

Dubas baffles me, you have a team under the gun and know that Mcgroaty isn't going to play for the Jets, and you still swap your top prospect for him? Feels like they could have squeezed them.

Do people not realize there was probably 5 other teams trying to get him?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

How is this deal a $20 bill for 2 $10 bills? It’s a straight up swap where the Penguins are getting the better prospect.

Okay, it's trading $18 for $20. An upgrade, for sure, but the prospect pool needs both guys, not just a slightly better one.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I don't like it for Pittsburgh

It can still work for Pittsburgh, as McGroarty plays a playoff style and could be a nice top 6 building block moving forward. He's been great at Michigan and should be a very good NHLer. Giving up Yager is too rich for my liking though

 

[WarriorofTime]

So much for all the WPG fans stating their GM was ready to dig in for multiple years

 

[Empoleon8771]

Okay, it's trading $18 for $20. An upgrade, for sure, but the prospect pool needs both guys, not just a slightly better one.

And you're not trading for a prospect of McGroaty's caliber without trading quality yourself.

Owen Pickering and a 2nd rounder isn't cutting it for a prospect of McGroaty's caliber.

 

[StIvany4Norris]

It’s easy to say this in a 1 to 1 world.

But there’s not a chance in hell there weren’t other teams involved in this. Simply makes no common sense that there wasn’t. If the Pens were the lone horse, then yes, probably spent too much.

But there had to be other teams which forced the Pens to up the ante on a player they obviously wanted bad.

Right, and Yager was obviously the best player offered

I just think they could've gotten it done for less, would guess a Pickering + probably matches other offers for example

But they obviously wanted him, so will take a wait and see approach

 

[Mr Kot]

I think people saying he should have taken Jets to the cleaners, there may have been other offers that would have beat Pittsburg unless Yager was involved. Would explain why it's a top prospect swap rather than smaller pieces.

 

[Huffer]

I'm not going to pretend that I didn't want to keep McGroarty because I like a lot of the things he brings to the table. I think when he's older he's going to be a guy that helps teams in the playoffs.

It's nice to add another centre to the pool though.

That being said, it's funny how Chevy continually gets good value from trades, and yet we continually see on here the same old lowball offers.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

The most baffling thing about this trade is that the Penguins didn’t send any contract other than Yager.

Unless their plan is for Rutger to be the 1LW with Crosby, they have about 5 people who can play 3C.

Their current roster build doesn’t make much sense.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Dang I guess I can't be upset. Brayden Yager I was really excited for.

 

[Habs10Habs]

It can still work for Pittsburgh, as McGroarty plays a playoff style and could be a nice top 6 building block moving forward. He's been great at Michigan and should be a very good NHLer. Giving up Yager is too rich for my liking though

Absolutely, I'm just more of a Yager fan. So my initial reaction is this favours the Jets.

 

[gojetsgo]

So much for all the WPG fans stating their GM was ready to dig in for multiple years

what? we got a good deal lol...

 

[Empoleon8771]

Chevy did well for the Jets here.

Dubas baffles me, you have a team under the gun and know that Mcgroaty isn't going to play for the Jets, and you still swap your top prospect for him? Feels like they could have squeezed them.

Because Chevy could have just kept McGroaty, since he controls his rights for another 2 years.