What the Rutger McGroarty trade means for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets completed their long-rumoured trade of 2022 first-round pick Rutger McGroarty, ending a saga that stretched on for months and seemed to be an indictment of how young players view the organization.
In return for McGroarty, they swapped one No. 14 overall pick for another, getting back Pittsburgh Penguins' 2023 first-rounder Brayden Yager. Pittsburgh immediately signed McGroarty to a max entry-level deal (three years, $950,000 AAV).
In a way, this is a win for both teams. Pittsburgh gets a highly regarded prospect who has starred for the University of Michigan these last two years (posting 34-57—91 in just 75 games), and he only turned 20 at the end of March. This is a guy who could play meaningful minutes for them in the near future. It's the kind of youthful talent injectio