How the Brayden Yager trade for Rutger McGroarty benefits the Penguins now

This could be the biggest news of the day: the Pittsburgh Penguins have just traded for Rutger McGroarty from the Winnipeg Jets, sending their top prospect, Brayden Yager, in return, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

While this trade may initially shock many, there’s more beneath the surface than meets the eye. Once the initial surprise of Yager's departure subsides, the reasoning behind the move becomes clearer.

Rutger McGroarty is arguably NHL-ready, with a strong chance of playing for the Penguins this season.

What makes the Rutger McGroarty trade good for the Penguins?

From a fan’s perspective, there’s a key takeaway here.

Was Brayden Yager an exciting prospect for the Pittsburgh Penguins? Absolutely. Was there hype about his potential in Pittsburgh?

Without a doubt.

But perhaps the excitement was a bit inflated, given that Yager has been the first genuinely promising prospect this Penguins has had in a very long time.

The nature of this trade is that the Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby, are aiming to achieve two things. They want to chase another Stanley Cup, as unlikely as that may seem to some. They also want to get younger. This trade checks both boxes.

Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are all still determined to be competitive and make one final push for another cup to raise above their heads. However, Yager isn’t NHL-ready and likely needs another year or so to develop.

In contrast, Rutger McGroarty is not only NHL-ready but also just 20 years old. He has the tools to make the leap and should be an asset this season in various scenarios, which will undoubtedly be explored further in the coming weeks.

So, what is McGroarty's story so far?

McGroarty, a first-round pick selected 14th overall by the Jets in 2022, has yet to make his NHL debut. However, he’s been a standout at the University of Michigan, recording 91 points (34G-57A) in 75 games over the past two seasons. Not bad at all.

The Penguins are signing McGroarty to a 3 year entry level deal as shown here by PuckPedia.

With McGroarty now replacing Yager as the Penguins' top prospect, and pending more details on what else might have been included in this trade, it looks like an easy win for Pittsburgh.