Star Penguins prospect opens up about requesting trade out of Winnipeg

No one knows exactly why things went south with top NHL prospect Rutger McGroarty and the Winnipeg Jets.

The team didn’t offer any specifics on what happened and McGroarty himself gave very little detail when asked by reporters why he wanted out of Winnipeg during his introductory news conference with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

“My agents talked to them, and then I talked to them,” McGroarty told reporters . “I wanted to be upfront and honest with them, and just tell them that I wasn't going to be signing with them,” McGroarty said. “I got nothing but respect for those guys, they handled it with a lot of class, and I wish them nothing but the best.”

Once McGroarty informed the Jets he had no intention of signing with them, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff began shopping 2022's No. 14 overall pick and the Pittsburgh Penguins just happened to be offering up their own 14th overall pick (this one from 2023) in Brayden Yager, who caught Cheveldayoff’s eye.

McGroarty, who scored 16 goals and 52 points in 36 game for the University of Michigan last season, signed his entry-level contract shortly after being traded to Pittsburgh.

Now that the 20-year-old forward is in town, he pointed out a few things about Pittsburgh that he didn’t get during his time in Winnipeg.

“I feel like everything's right here – the development path, the veteran guys that they have, the organization that they have and the town as well,” McGroarty said. “I went to a Pirates game on Monday, like, the sports town atmosphere is unbelievable. Then just talking to Kyle and (assistant GM Jason Spezza), I feel like they're just two incredible hockey minds with a great development path for me.”