The Penguins have sent top prospect Brayden Yager to the Jets for their top prospect, Rutger McGroarty, a source confirmed to ESPN. Both were first-round picks.
McGroarty, 20, was selected 14th overall by Winnipeg in the 2022 NHL draft; Yager was picked in the same slot -- No. 14 -- by Pittsburgh in 2023.
Rutger McGroarty had 16 goals and 52 points in 36 games for the Michigan Wolverines last season and was an All-Big Ten first-team selection. The Jets had failed to sign McGroarty to an entry-level contract after he expressed concern about what a future in Winnipeg might look like for him, and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had been looking for a trade partner since.
McGroarty, a Nebraska native, had already declared in April his intent to return to the University of Michigan for the upcoming 2024-25 season. He had 16 goals and 52 points in 36 games for the Wolverines last season. The trade to Pittsburgh could change McGroarty's timeline, however, as he's already inked an entry-level deal with the Penguins, the source said.
It's likely McGroarty is closer to appearing in the NHL than Yager, and that's good news for the Penguins, who failed to reach the postseason in consecutive years and could use an influx of young talent. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound McGroarty plays a heavy game with a solid mix of skill and speed. At Michigan, he was a Hobey Baker nominee and earned slots on the All-Big Ten first team and the All-Big Ten tournament team.
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