Michigan Hockey forward and star player Rutger McGroarty was selected by the Winnipeg Jets as the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft. McGroarty played the next two seasons for Michigan, choosing to continue his development in college rather than signing with the Jets and starting his pro career.
This spring, McGroarty elected to return to Ann Arbor again for the upcoming 2024-25 season rather than sign with the Jets. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, McGroarty's advisors are not speaking with the Jets, and the former first-round pick could be traded.
Very surprising piece of news today from @FriedgeHNIC on 32TP.
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) June 22, 2024
“His family advisor and the Jets are not talking, but the one thing I can tell you is that I have heard Rutger McGroarty has come up in trade discussions.”
The 2022 14th overall pick had 52 points in 36 GP for Univ.… https://t.co/n6DaCYOal6
"His family advisor and the Jets are not talking," Friedman said on SN's 32 Thoughts podcast. "But the one thing I can tell you is that I have heard Rutger McGroarty has come up in trade discussions.”
The Winnipeg Jets have the rights to sign McGroarty for two more years. This means McGroarty would need to sign with the Jets or wait two years to be free to sign with another team. Unless, of course, the Jets trade his rights to another team, which McGroarty could then sign with.
Friedman said McGroarty's name has come up in trade talks and the Michigan forward would be coveted by other teams. Co-host Jeff Marek brought up that the Jets do not have a first-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, which begins June 28. If Winnipeg believes they won't be able to sign McGroarty and will need to trade him, doing so ahead of the draft to gain draft capital potentially means things could move quickly.
We know McGroarty will play for the Michigan Wolverines next year. Last season, McGroarty was second on the Wolverines in points with 52, trailing only Gavin Brindley's 53. One of the top assist-getters and least penalized players in college hockey, The alternate captain will be one of the most important players for Michigan Hockey next season.
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