Prospect Info: Rutger McGroarty, 2022 NHL Draft, #14 Overall

[FlappyGiraffe]

The problem with that is that it's not ideal for anyone

Rutger is better off in the Moose or at school playing big minutes and PP time than practicing with the team and getting fat in popcorn and hotdogs in the pressbox

The worst part about all of this is that it's entirely possible that there are holes in Rutgers game that need some time in the Moose to fill in. By trying to side-step that part of the development process, him and his camp are ultimately going to cost him money in the long term if he never becomes the best player that he can be

This whole thing has made me respect Brad Lambert so much more. Fell in the draft. Got cut from the Jets. Struggled on rhe Moose. Got f***ed over by his WJC coach. Then sent to JUNIORS!

Did he pout or whine? Nope, just went down there and worked his ass off and lit it up. Came into camp the next year with a great attitude, went down to the AHL without a peep and worked through his first full pro year in NA (never easy) and excelled

Yup Brad has been super impressive in that regard to me.

Never a complaint from him about going down a league, followed the Jets development plan, and now he's trending back towards being the player that scouts were raving about as a potential top 3 pick in his D -1 season

 

[Blue Shakehead]

Honestly it will hurt the Jets org more to sit on this just to spite him, both in terms of assets and reputation with the players.

As with the other players who have wanted out, Chevy accommodated them when he got the pieces he needed for them. I imagine it will be much the same here. If someone were to meet Chevy's ask he'd be on his way out tomorrow.

To the extent we should care about our reputation with the players, I would be shocked if more than 1% of the NHLPA supported the McGroarty/Gauthier position. This is the best league in the world and everyone earns their spot from blood, sweat and tears. Even after they make the NHL, they play 7 years as a pro before they can pick and choose where to go.

He thinks he's above all that.

The reputation we should care about is our own prospects and future draft picks. If you get drafted by WPG, and you don't like it, tough shit - they aren't going to bend.

 

[paul-laus]

Ahh, I was ok with the pic. It was a second 1st rounder, he displayed some real grit, leadership and 2 way game in the OHL. Everyone knew he was a project. It did not work out as hoped.

Well I’m glad you were okay with the pick. That puts things all in perspective. Keep in mind, two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year. Markus Niemelainen by Edmonton and Keaton Middleton by Toronto. They were drafted in the 4th and 5th rounds. The jets took Stanley 18th….over players like Debrincat. The only reason why Stanley is still in the league is because jet’s management refuses to admit that it was an unmitigated failure and are desperate to make it work at all costs even at the expense of sacrificing Kovacevic and Chisholm to protect Stanley…..beyond embarrassing

Ahh, I was ok with the pic. It was a second 1st rounder, he displayed some real grit, leadership and 2 way game in the OHL. Everyone knew he was a project. It did not work out as hoped.

well I’m glad you were okay with the picture….it really puts things in proper perspective….Let me reiterate….Two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year by Edmonton- Niemilainen and by Toronto- Keaton Middleton. It’s probably where players of that ilk should be drafted…

 

[tbcwpg]

Well I’m glad you were okay with the pick. That puts things all in perspective. Keep in mind, two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year. Markus Niemelainen by Edmonton and Keaton Middleton by Toronto. They were drafted in the 4th and 5th rounds. The jets took Stanley 18th….over players like Debrincat. The only reason why Stanley is still in the league is because jet’s management refuses to admit that it was an unmitigated failure and are desperate to make it work at all costs even at the expense of sacrificing Kovacevic and Chisholm to protect Stanley…..beyond embarrassing

well I’m glad you were okay with the picture….it really puts things in proper perspective….Let me reiterate….Two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year by Edmonton- Niemilainen and by Toronto- Keaton Middleton. It’s probably where players of that ilk should be drafted…

Sportsnet had Stanley ranked 14th in their final draft rankings. TSN has him 22nd. It's fair to say some other organizations had him out of the top 30, but he wouldn't have lasted long into Day 2. At the time it was a reach but not a massive one like a 4th round talent level in the 1st.

 

[Heldig]

Well I’m glad you were okay with the pick. That puts things all in perspective. Keep in mind, two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year. Markus Niemelainen by Edmonton and Keaton Middleton by Toronto. They were drafted in the 4th and 5th rounds. The jets took Stanley 18th….over players like Debrincat. The only reason why Stanley is still in the league is because jet’s management refuses to admit that it was an unmitigated failure and are desperate to make it work at all costs even at the expense of sacrificing Kovacevic and Chisholm to protect Stanley…..beyond embarrassing

well I’m glad you were okay with the picture….it really puts things in proper perspective….Let me reiterate….Two other players in VERY similar molds were also drafted that year by Edmonton- Niemilainen and by Toronto- Keaton Middleton. It’s probably where players of that ilk should be drafted…

It did not work out so well, we all see that NOW. IMO it was a gamble that could pay of hugely. It did not (yet).

Using Debrincat though is a poor argument since he was drafted 20 spots later. 10 of the last 12 picks in the 1st round are meh or worse.

Endlessly crapping on Chevy for the pick is just a waste of time. You can analyze almost every team every draft and point out a big swing and a miss with better players picked later.

 

[Board Bard]

Difference is there’s more attachment to those players as they have put in years of service in a Jets uniform. Rutger while Jets property has yet to play a game for the team so Chevy’s responses will seem more skewed to the guys that have gone to war for the team.

Maybe, but when you consider that after McG was drafted and until fairly recently, Chevy had no problem saying good things about him, it's a drastic change in tone, not a consistent one as might be the case in the vet vs. newbie scenario you propose.

 

[Teppo Numenor]

McGroot really misjudged the situation, he has prospects moving in front of him. His hopes of landing a roster spot in the nhl are diminished. You don’t have leverage when you haven’t worked a a day.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The difference is that you can’t sign a player until they leave NCAA so Rut probably would have signed last year at development camp but couldn’t. Now that ship has sailed. Any other league and you can sign the player and they can continue to play there or you own their rights forever like with Russians.

It is a loophole in my view so we will have to agree to disagree.

Fair point. But it is not much of a loophole. And it is not a result of any NHL rule or the CBA. It is NCAA rules. They can be signed any time after being drafted but signing ends their NCAA career. It is somewhat offset by them being eligible for the AHL as soon as they are drafted and signed.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

Fair point. But it is not much of a loophole. And it is not a result of any NHL rule or the CBA. It is NCAA rules. They can be signed any time after being drafted but signing ends their NCAA career. It is somewhat offset by them being eligible for the AHL as soon as they are drafted and signed.

Exactly. Rutger can sign today. Just can’t go back to ncaa. So his options are nhl or ahl. If reports are to be believed he feels he is nhl ready and isn’t considering time in the ahl as an option. If that’s the case it’s not a tough call for jets management.

 

[Blue Shakehead]

McGroot really misjudged the situation, he has prospects moving in front of him. His hopes of landing a roster spot in the nhl are diminished. You don’t have leverage when you haven’t worked a a day.

I would be interested to know which side leaked that he requested a trade. We can be sure it wasn't TNSE, so it was either another team who received calls about a potential trade or it was McGroarty's camp.

In any case, McGroarty's camp confirmed to Friedman that they were not talking to the Jets. That confirmation could diminish the potential return and is reason enough to let him sit these next two years out watching his buddies fly private and post on IG when they are shopping for G wagons.

 

[gojetsgo]

I would be interested to know which side leaked that he requested a trade. We can be sure it wasn't TNSE, so it was either another team who received calls about a potential trade or it was McGroarty's camp.

In any case, McGroarty's camp confirmed to Friedman that they were not talking to the Jets. That confirmation could diminish the potential return and is reason enough to let him sit these next two years out watching his buddies fly private and post on IG when they are shopping for G wagons.

friedman said that he's got to be careful because mcgroaty's family adviser is not talking and the jets are not talking, but one thing he can say is that his name has come up in trade conversations

basically neither the team or mcgroarty's camp told him anything but he's heard from other teams that his name is out there

 

[Weezeric]

I would be interested to know which side leaked that he requested a trade. We can be sure it wasn't TNSE, so it was either another team who received calls about a potential trade or it was McGroarty's camp.

In any case, McGroarty's camp confirmed to Friedman that they were not talking to the Jets. That confirmation could diminish the potential return and is reason enough to let him sit these next two years out watching his buddies fly private and post on IG when they are shopping for G wagons.

McGroarty’s camp never said they weren’t talking to the Jets. McGroarty’s camp refused to talk to Friedman.

 

[Guardian17]

McGroarty should look at former Jets draft pick Nathan Smith.

Smith refused to sign with the Jets because he did not see a spot available to him with Scheifele, Dubois, Lowry and Perfetti.

The Jets included Smith in a trade with Bryan Little's contract in 2022.

Smith played a grand total of 4 games with a terrible Coyotes team.

He's spent the rest of his time in the AHL and was released.

He just signed with Vancouver.

If he had stayed in Winnipeg and was developed properly he would now have a shot at center.

Why the Winnipeg Jets included the signing rights to Nathan Smith in the Bryan Little trade to Arizona – Illegal Curve Hockey

We look to the CBA for an answer.

illegalcurve.com

For Nathan Smith, the decision to sign with the Coyotes was all about opportunity - PHNX Sports

Like recently signed Jack McBain, newest Coyote Nathan Smith sees immediate opportunity with the Arizona Coyotes.

gophnx.com

Nathan Smith - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Nathan Smith, 1998-10-19 Tampa, FL, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Abbotsford Canucks. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Whileee]

My guess is that the Jets and McGroarty decided that there isn't an ideal fit. I'm still not sure that it's all due to McGroarty's demand for a roster spot. From the Jets' perspective, they have holes to fill on D and at C and they have a lot of wingers on the roster (in prime ages) and in the pipeline. Ehlers and McGroarty are their most valuable trade assets to restructure their roster and/or prospect pipeline. Maybe they pivoted and decided that they'd prefer to keep Ehlers once Arniel and the new coaching staff took over. Ehlers certainly gives the Jets more for making the playoffs than McGroarty at this point.

Regardless, my guess is that Chevy started to either take calls and/or initiate calls with other teams about McGroarty, and Friedman picked it up through his sources with other teams (normally GMs shut down any trade discussions about top prospects, so the rumour mill never gets going).

In any case, a dispassionate look at the Jets' roster and pipeline would indicate that it's not a bad strategic decision to trade a winger prospect at the height of his trade value if your roster and pipeline is strongest on the wing, and you need to add a significant player or prospect on D or C.

I'm not sure that Barlow won't emerge as a better LW prospect, in any case. He has a bit more speed and he's a top-end scorer, while bringing a lot of the leadership qualities that McGroarty is known for.

 

[wasup]

What I’d like to see is an interview with him,then the Jets before making a decision.
Too much middle man information.

There is with most media stuff that's why we come to HF boards to get the Facts .

 

[tbcwpg]

McGroarty should look at former Jets draft pick Nathan Smith.

Smith refused to sign with the Jets because he did not see a spot available to him with Scheifele, Dubois, Lowry and Perfetti.

The Jets included Smith in a trade with Bryan Little's contract in 2022.

Smith played a grand total of 4 games with a terrible Coyotes team.

He's spent the rest of his time in the AHL and was released.

He just signed with Vancouver.

If he had stayed in Winnipeg and was developed properly he would now have a shot at center.

Why the Winnipeg Jets included the signing rights to Nathan Smith in the Bryan Little trade to Arizona – Illegal Curve Hockey

We look to the CBA for an answer.

illegalcurve.com

For Nathan Smith, the decision to sign with the Coyotes was all about opportunity - PHNX Sports

Like recently signed Jack McBain, newest Coyote Nathan Smith sees immediate opportunity with the Arizona Coyotes.

gophnx.com

Nathan Smith - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Nathan Smith, 1998-10-19 Tampa, FL, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Abbotsford Canucks. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

I think it was more Smith just doesn't have the talent.

 

[DRW204]

McGroarty should look at former Jets draft pick Nathan Smith.

Smith refused to sign with the Jets because he did not see a spot available to him with Scheifele, Dubois, Lowry and Perfetti.

The Jets included Smith in a trade with Bryan Little's contract in 2022.

Smith played a grand total of 4 games with a terrible Coyotes team.

He's spent the rest of his time in the AHL and was released.

He just signed with Vancouver.

If he had stayed in Winnipeg and was developed properly he would now have a shot at center.

Why the Winnipeg Jets included the signing rights to Nathan Smith in the Bryan Little trade to Arizona – Illegal Curve Hockey

We look to the CBA for an answer.

illegalcurve.com

For Nathan Smith, the decision to sign with the Coyotes was all about opportunity - PHNX Sports

Like recently signed Jack McBain, newest Coyote Nathan Smith sees immediate opportunity with the Arizona Coyotes.

gophnx.com

Nathan Smith - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Nathan Smith, 1998-10-19 Tampa, FL, USA USA. Most recently in the AHL with Abbotsford Canucks. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

and then look at Adam Fox.... i think the caliber of player matters more here. Rutger is a recent mid-1st and seems to be trending well & has tools for a pretty safe NHL floor, he'll get opportunity

I would be interested to know which side leaked that he requested a trade. We can be sure it wasn't TNSE, so it was either another team who received calls about a potential trade or it was McGroarty's camp.

In any case, McGroarty's camp confirmed to Friedman that they were not talking to the Jets. That confirmation could diminish the potential return and is reason enough to let him sit these next two years out watching his buddies fly private and post on IG when they are shopping for G wagons.

i think you're overstating things a bit. If it is true that the Jets said you have to go to the AHL for this year, getting NIL $$$ playing in college + college lifestyle at Michicgan for 1 year i don't see as a huge deal. Perhaps better than AHL ( , IllegalCurve guys was saying the NIL money is comparable but 0 proof) & evidently a path he is comfortable going.

There's potential of injury call ups for sure, over the years it isn't guaranteed it's been a young prospect guy though (ie: toninato, AJF or kuhlman off waivers).

IMO the Jets aren't going to let him walk to UFA for nothing, i know fans on here say "let him rot" "let him sit" etc. but that's another wasted or underperforming 1st round pick from the Jets. At least capitalize on an asset while it still has some value - that's good asset management. so he will dealt get next year if he still is refusing to re-sign and probably play in the NHL. so 1 year behind your buds idk to me isn't enough to fret over.

 

[SCP Guy]

Him not even wanting to come to Winnipeg for development camp speaks volumes… The relationship is broken.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Exactly. Rutger can sign today. Just can’t go back to ncaa. So his options are nhl or ahl. If reports are to be believed he feels he is nhl ready and isn’t considering time in the ahl as an option. If that’s the case it’s not a tough call for jets management.

It is okay for him to think he is NHL ready and to want to play there immediately. It is okay for him to not want to go to the AHL. It is not okay for him to insist that he be played in the NHL without winning a spot. It is not okay to refuse to go to the AHL if that is what is appropriate.

He needs to realize that it is in the team's best interest to help him succeed and achieve to the highest level. At least at this stage of his career the team's interests are in step with his interests.

 

[Buffdog]

Him not even wanting to come to Winnipeg for development camp speaks volumes… The relationship is broken.

Meh, it's a power play. If he made demands that didn't get met then shows up at dev camp, it would show that you aren't very serious about your demands

 

[cbcwpg]

Him not even wanting to come to Winnipeg for development camp speaks volumes… The relationship is broken.

Do we know it's McG not wanting to come to the development camp OR is it the Jets telling him he's not invited?

The fact that he has said he's playing college again next season and wouldn't sign a contract, tells me anyways, the Jets didn't invite him because there is no point at this time.

 

[DRW204]

Him not even wanting to come to Winnipeg for development camp speaks volumes… The relationship is broken.

avoid distractions

 

[SCP Guy]

Its good to see people are more hopeful the relationship can be repaired then I am...... I guess no one really knows what is happening behind the scenes but I just cant shake the feeling that once something like this goes public it is tough to reel it back in.

 

[Teppo Numenor]

McGroarty’s camp never said they weren’t talking to the Jets. McGroarty’s camp refused to talk to Friedman.

HF Jets will get to the bottom of this...

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

It is okay for him to think he is NHL ready and to want to play there immediately. It is okay for him to not want to go to the AHL. It is not okay for him to insist that he be played in the NHL without winning a spot. It is not okay to refuse to go to the AHL if that is what is appropriate.

He needs to realize that it is in the team's best interest to help him succeed and achieve to the highest level. At least at this stage of his career the team's interests are in step with his interests.

Agreed. I was trying to say the same thing. Didn’t articulate it as clearly, apologies if it came across as I was implying otherwise.

Dude is smelling his own farts like it’s perfume after a good world juniors. Like yeesh.

If perfetti is having problems with the speed of the game I can only imagine how it would impact Rutger. You can’t do too much about speed. Most of it needs to be compensated by hockey iq, positioning and experience. A lot of which is garnered in the AHL.