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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have assigned prospect Rutger McGroarty to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. McGroarty, selected 14th overall in the 2022 Draft by the Winnipeg Jets but traded to the Penguins this past offseason, is a 20-year-old forward who has spent time at both center and wing. He is known for his physicality, competitive drive, and two-way game.
The Penguins have assigned forward Rutger McGroarty to the @WBSPenguins (AHL). pic.twitter.com/rP1YjqNLvS
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 16, 2024
McGroarty made his NHL debut for the Penguins on Oct. 9 against the New York Rangers, logging 12:20 of ice time and recording a single shot without registering a point. In the two games that followed, he was also held off the scoresheet.
In his first three NHL games, McGroarty managed just two shots on goal, averaging 11:37 of ice time per game. He primarily played on a line with Lars Eller and Jesse Puljujarvi, but the trio failed to score a goal and conceded one.
Before joining the Penguins, McGroarty tallied 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) with the University of Michigan last season. He also contributed nine points (five goals, four assists) as captain of the United States under-20 team at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where they won gold. Many anticipated McGroarty would join the Winnipeg Jets or their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, for the 2024-25 season, but a contract and development path dispute led to the franchise trading their top prospect.
The Jets received Brayden Yager in exchange for McGroarty, and the Saskatoon native is up to seven points (four goals and three assists) in five games with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. Evident in the Penguins’ decision to send McGroarty to the AHL, both youngsters need development before breaking through in the NHL, proving the winner of this trade is yet to be decided.
More must-reads:
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Caitlin Clark drops mic on Kelsey Plum's Instagram post
Caitlin Clark might be the most popular figure in women's basketball right now, but she continues to draw shots left and right, both on and off the court. The Iowa product has stayed even keeled and mostly unrattled, but that doesn't mean she won't fight back. That's why, in the light of Kelsey Plum's recent comments, she decided to take matters into her own hands and clapped back at her with a simple, six-word message. Plum shared a picture of her during the WNBA's All-Star Weekend, which showed half of a Nike logo in the background. Clark was quick to spot it and just wrote "Thank u for the Nike ad." This happened just hours after Plum seemingly took a shot at Clark and her Team Clark teammates for reportedly not getting involved in their pre-game protest. “The T-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that,” Plum revealed. “That really needed to be mentioned,” Sabrina Ionescu added while both laughed. WNBA All-Stars warmed up with a T-Shirt that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' ahead of their new CBA agreement, which is expected to be signed in the offseason. WNBA players get around 9 percent of the league's revenue, and they're asking for a bigger share since most of them also have to play overseas during the offseason because of the salary disparity. Plum is the vice president of the WNBPA, so it's not surprising to see her so involved in the protest and the demands. Then again, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind the tattle telling, as not only does it show that there might not be a united front ahead of these negotiations, but it also drives attention away from where it should be.
Tyrann Mathieu retirement highlights compelling Hall of Fame case
One question remains after New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement. How long until Canton calls? On Tuesday, the 12-year NFL veteran revealed he was retiring, effective immediately, ending the New Orleans native's legendary football career. In a statement published to social media, the three-time first-team All-Pro wrote, "As I hang up my cleats, I'm filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that's shaped me in every way. "From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing." He's a surefire first-ballot Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame honoree, breaking out while at LSU (2010-11). During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he forced 11 fumbles with eight recoveries, four interceptions and four total touchdowns while finishing fifth in Heisman voting in 2011. Mathieu was dismissed from the team in 2012 after failing multiple drug tests and then was arrested on marijuana charges, but he didn't allow that to define his career. Instead, he carved out what could be considered a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, too. Mathieu ends his professional career with 838 tackles, 100 passes defended and 36 interceptions. In addition to being named first-team All-Pro three times, he received three Pro Bowl honors and was a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010 Team. Mathieu also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020. Per Mathieu's Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor score (65.2), he has a below-average case for enshrinement, with the average Hall of Fame defensive back scoring a 96.93. But players have received a gold jacket with worse scores in the PFR metric, including John Lynch, Eric Allen and Dick LeBeau. While he might have to wait past his first ballot to make it into the Hall of Fame, it would be a shame if Mathieu didn't one day receive his flowers. It certainly helps his case that in addition to being one of the greatest safeties of his generation, Mathieu was, by all accounts, just as outstanding off the field. NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill and Arizona Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard, who covered Mathieu when he played for the Cardinals, were among the media members to share fond stories about Mathieu. "One of those guys who really respected the job we do and would take the time to explain the game," Underhill shared. "He an all-world talent and the most accessible, genuine, introspective superstar I've ever met," Odegard wrote. It could take longer than five years, but it should surprise no one if one day Mathieu receives Hall of Fame recognition. He is the Honey Badger, after all. He takes what he wants.
Yankees’ Cam Schlittler: Should He Stay Or Should He Go
There’s an old song by The Clash that goes a little something like this, “Darling, you got to let me know…Should I stay, or should I go?” In this instance, Cam Schlittler should be asking the Yankees the same thing, or rather, the Bombers’ brass should be asking themselves if they should keep Schlittler or trade him to help improve the team. You see, the Bombers need a third baseman who can actually hit. They need at least two proven starting pitchers and at least two relievers, although they probably need three. That’s on top of needing to fix Anthony Volpe, figuring out what they have in Jasson Domínguez and shoring up the team’s depth. So, since MLB.com’s prospect rankings have Schlittler listed as the Yankees’ 11th best prospect and not listed at all in the Top-100 prospects throughout The League, he has some value, but not an abundance. There have been multiple reports/rumors linking him to trade packages for several potential Trade Deadline targets. But the question is, does Schlittler hold my value pitching for the Yanks or going elsewhere to help them get a proven player? There’s no question he has a live arm and is pretty decent at striking out batters. But nothing in his prospect profile or track record suggests he’s going to be anything more than an average to slightly above average pitcher at the major league level. So, should the Yankees cash in while they can by packaging him to get a proven player like Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez, or should they hold on to him and hope he develops into a pitcher who can help them long-term? Nobody is saying he can’t become a solid Number Three starter one day, but if another team values him more highly than the Yanks do, then they should absolutely trade Schlittler to help fill the holes in their roster.
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