For the first time in the salary cap era, the Pittsburgh Penguins found themselves as a landing spot for unwanted contracts. Instead of focusing on shedding salary or aggressively pursuing top free agents in a quest for another Stanley Cup, the Penguins’ strategy pivoted to leveraging salary cap space in exchange for draft picks.
While Cody Glass and Kevin Hayes were picked up by the Penguins as cap casualties from other teams, they weren’t brought in with the expectation of transforming the team. Instead, they were acquired because they came with draft picks as sweeteners.
Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager, was clear in his intentions. By acquiring Glass and Hayes and trading away Reilly Smith, he added two second-round picks and two third-round picks to the Penguins’ assets, as well as a sixth-round pick.
However, Dubas was also on the hunt for young talent. This pursuit proved challenging until Thursday, when he pulled off a significant trade. The Penguins acquired 20-year-old prospect Rutger McGroarty from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for their own top prospect, Brayden Yager.
Dubas likely upgraded from Yager to McGroarty, which has dramatically shifted the Penguins’ offseason trajectory. McGroarty is expected to be NHL-ready this season, while Yager was likely a year or more away from making his debut.
This trade is a clear win for the Penguins, instantly giving the lineup a fresh look. However, the exact configuration of this new lineup remains uncertain. With around 19 forwards on the roster who could potentially play in the NHL, coach Mike Sullivan may have a tough job ahead, perhaps even turning training camp into a competitive battle to determine the best lineup.
There’s some debate about whether McGroarty is better suited to play right-wing or left-wing. College scouts noted that he played left-wing at the University of Michigan last season, though some of his bios list him as a right-winger. He’s a left-handed shot, which adds another layer of complexity to the Penguins’ roster construction, which now has more moving parts than ever.
At worst, McGroarty is expected to contribute at least 15 goals this season, potentially more. He could also help one of the power play units and provide significant offensive output.
The Penguins’ left side could now feature Drew O’Connor, Michael Bunting, and McGroarty, or the right side could include Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and McGroarty. Regardless of where he lines up, McGroarty is expected to offer more than many other wingers in the top nine.
The third line, which could have been Anthony Beauvillier-Kevin Hayes-Valtteri Puustinen, might now be reconfigured to include McGroarty, Hayes, and Beauvillier.
While the Penguins’ roster surplus poses a challenge for the Fenway Sports Group accountants, it offers Sullivan the chance to assemble a stronger lineup, even if it requires some trial and error.
In one swift move, Dubas transformed the Penguins’ offseason from underwhelming to promising. Suddenly, the team’s prospects for improvement seem much brighter, and the young McGroarty could be a key player in the Penguins’ future if he proves himself.
Penguins Notebook
- Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins assistant coach Kevin Porter has secured a new role as an assistant coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Porter, who played professionally for 12 years, including 43 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, joined WBS as an assistant in 2020. However, the Penguins did not renew the contracts of head coach J.D. Forrest or Porter for the upcoming season.
- The AHL has mandated neck guards for all players this season. This decision follows the tragic death of former WBS Penguins forward Adam Johnson, who passed away during a game in the English league. In May, British police announced that the investigation into his death was ongoing.
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