Pens Morning Brew: The Rutger McGroarty trade; Nikolai Knyzhov and Erik Karlsson reunion?

Good morning, Penguins fans, and welcome to the first edition of Pens Morning Brew.

This idea has been brewing for a while now and is inspired by the Pens Labyrinth Daily series that ran here many years ago.

What is Pens Morning Brew? It’s a collection of thoughts on the most significant topics surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins, all in one place for you to read each morning.

There are also plans to eventually launch a podcast, separate from the website, to complement the written content.

So, grab a fresh cup of coffee and let's dive into the latest Pittsburgh Penguins news.

Grading the Rutger McGroarty trade

Yesterday was an interesting day for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they acquired winger Rutger McGroarty by trading top prospect Brayden Yager to the Winnipeg Jets. This trade definitely was not on the bingo card!

When this trade first appeared on the timeline, it caused an immediate shock, followed by brief panic, especially when Yager was revealed as part of the compensation.

However, Yager still needs more time before he's ready for professional hockey, and that's the key difference. What’s the grade for this trade?

There’s no question this trade deserves an A+. It brings young, promising talent to an aging roster while also addressing a need for a strong piece in the top six.

Winnipeg, to be fair, also earns an A-. They’re acquiring a promising prospect who, in a year or so, could significantly impact their roster. There are no losers here, at least not on paper.

Daily Poll: Do Penguins fans prefer Rutger McGroarty or Brayden Yager?

With the dust now settling on the McGroarty trade and fans coming to terms with Yager’s move to Winnipeg, attention shifts to how people are reacting to the news.

We created a poll on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday, and while it's still ongoing at the time of writing, the early results are revealing. It seems like many agree with my grade.

So far, 47.1% of respondents prefer McGroarty, 13.7% favor Yager, and 39.2% believe the Penguins should have tried to have both players.

Obviously, keeping both players would have been a no-brainer. However, there was no way the Jets were sending McGroarty without proper compensation.

While it could be argued that Winnipeg had limited leverage, it seems Dubas made the right call by making a fair offer.

Ultimately, it's a solid trade for both sides, though it appears the Penguins might have come out slightly ahead.

Could we see a reunion between Nikolai Knyzhov and Erik Karlsson?

For those unfamiliar, newly signed Nikolai Knyzhov once paired with Erik Karlsson during their time in San Jose. The duo developed good chemistry during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

Unfortunately, Knyzhov endured several injury-plagued seasons, leading to a mutual parting of ways with the Sharks this summer. Now, on a tryout contract, he's getting an opportunity to make the Penguins' roster.

The challenge?

Knyzhov will need to prove himself worthy of a roster spot. However, even if he succeeds, the likelihood of him reuniting with Karlsson is slim. Marcus Pettersson and Ryan Graves, who I would not be surprised if he were traded, currently hold those spots.

While it’s a nice story, the chances of it materializing seem slim at this point. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Knyzhov secured a spot on the final roster.