Penguins Rutger McGroarty gets nasty message sent to him by his team

When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded with the Winnipeg Jets for Rutger McGroarty earlier this offseason, they knew what they were getting a player who did not leave his old team on the best of terms. It had been reported that McGroarty had requested a trade out of Winnipeg, and at least some media members described his departure due to a bad attitude. In fact, there were even some grumblings around the league that he had already blown an opportunity to get a deal done with another team or two due to his allegedly absurd demands. That reputation followed him into Pittsburgh.

Today, McGroarty again finds himself in a tough spot. Just a few games into his Penguins career, the organization has shipped him off to the club's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. That move has largely been mocked by fans, some going as far as to say McGroarty will soon request a trade out of Pittsburgh, too. The timing of the demotion is, at least, interesting: the Penguins play McGroarty's old team, the Winnipeg Jets, in just a few days.

Fans may joke that McGroarty's situation is a humorous one, but his being reassigned to the minors was hardly a surprise. The young winger had been a healthy scratch in the Penguins' most recent game against the Montreal Canadiens, an early sign he wasn't assured a consistent place in the NHL lineup. General Manager Kyle Dubas spoke at an earlier juncture to his desire to have McGroarty playing, not sitting in the press box, a factor likely leading to the decision to send him to the AHL.

McGorty's start with the Pittsburgh team was, by no means, very good. He had three games without recording a point, finishing with a rating of minus-1. For a player who battled to get out of Winnipeg because of being held back in the minors, this reassignment does feel frustratingly like a repeat of what happened to him earlier on. Whatever the case, his early problems shouldn't dampen his prospects. A top-14 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, McGroarty was an enticing talent coming off a successful two-year college career with the University of Michigan, recording 91 points across his 74-game collegiate career.

Of course, it sets up the interesting question: how will Rutger McGroarty respond to this? His early impression in Pittsburgh was not great, but this is going to be perhaps his turning point. If he takes the opportunity to polish his game in the AHL and prove value, then his journey in the NHL may take a more positive direction.