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Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporterAug 22, 2024, 04:38 PM ET
CloseRyan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
Could a one-for-one end up being a win-win? That’s what the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets are banking on with the Pens getting forward prospect Rutger McGroarty and fellow forward prospect Brayden Yager heading the other way.
McGroarty, who was the Jets’ top prospect, is entering his junior season at the University of Michigan, while Yager, who signed his entry-level contract with the Pens, scored 95 points last season for the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors.
How did each general manager fare in a swap of top prospects? Here are our grades:
Penguins grade: A-
Any potential deal involving Yager leaving the organization meant Penguins GM Kyle Dubas had to get a forward prospect of similar value. Getting McGroarty meets that need.
The Penguins have a future to think about when it comes time for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang to retire. That’s what made drafting Yager so crucial, and having McGroarty as their new top prospect allows them to retain that continuity.
The Penguins’ pipeline has faced a variety of challenges over the past several years. Their chase for another Stanley Cup came with the cost of moving on from draft picks, which is why they didn’t own their first-round pick from 2015 through 2018. While they did own their 2019 first-round pick (Sam Poulin), they did not have a first-round pick in 2020 and in 2021.
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Then there’s this: Since 2016, they’ve had only two draft picks play more than 100 NHL games — with a caveat. Neither of those players — Calen Addison and Filip Gustavsson — ever played a single game for the Penguins, which further underlines the need for them to strengthen a system that will be expected to carry the franchise in the future.
McGroarty’s game has grown during his two seasons in Ann Arbor. He scored 18 goals and 32 points as a freshman for a team that won the Big 10 title. Plus, he was part of the…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/40954864/nhl-trade-grade-2024-penguins-jets-rutger-mcgroarty-brayden-yager-draft-picks
Author : Ryan S. Clark
Publish date : 2024-08-22 21:39:57
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