Rutger McGroarty was selected 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. A year later, Brayden Yager was chosen in the same spot by the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Thursday the two were swapped for each other in a one-for-one deal. Shortly after the deal, it was announced that McGroarty signed his entry-level contract.
It has been rumored for a few months that McGroarty, a teammate of Lightning prospect Dylan Duke in college, wasn’t happy with how Winnipeg had handled his development and wasn’t going to sign with them. Prior to the deal, McGroarty had intended on returning to the University of Michigan for another season despite not really having anything to prove at the collegiate level.