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The summer months are usually when NHL teams make trades involving veteran players. However, a recent trend has seen younger prospects be the center of a couple of trades. On Friday, we saw the San Jose Sharks trade for goalie Yaroslav Askarov in a deal with the Nashville Predators. Before that, we saw the Winnipeg Jets trade Rutger McGroarty to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins acquired the former Michigan product from the Jets on Thursday, the teams announced. In return, Winnipeg received center Brayden Yager. This trade came after months of speculation. Reports indicated the Jets were “likely” to trade McGroarty around the NHL Draft in June. However, no trade materialized at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
This is certainly an interesting trade for both the teams and players involved. But is there a team that came out ahead in this deal on paper? Here are our grades for the Rutger McGroarty trade between the Penguins and Jets.
Penguins trade for Rutger McGroarty
On one hand, this is a great deal for the Penguins. Pittsburgh is receiving the better of the two prospects in this trade. This is not meant as a slight toward Brayden Yager. It's more a testament to McGroarty and his potential than anything else.
McGroarty projects as a legitimate top-line forward in the NHL. Given that he has signed his entry-level contract, there is a chance the Michigan product plays in Pittsburgh this season. He could even find himself lining up next to Sidney Crosby this season on the team's top line.
From this lens, it's easy to see why the Penguins made this trade. However, there are some intriguing trade-offs for Pittsburgh. McGroarty is the better of these two prospects. However, Yager certainly isn't a bust or a significant downgrade by any means. In fact, trading the former Moose Jaw Warriors star creates a glaring weakness in the team's prospect pipeline.
The Penguins no longer have a center that projects as a top-six option in the NHL. Pittsburgh can hold out for now as Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are still playing at an elite level. Their careers are going to end soon, though. So the timing of this trade is certainly intriguing, to say the least.
The Penguins essentially traded from a position of need to fill a position of need in the more immediate future. It'll be interesting to see how that gamble pays off for them. In saying this, Pittsburgh does well to acquire a potential top-line player at the NHL level.
Jets trade for Brayden Yager
The Jets traded their top prospect, much like the Penguins did in this deal. However, they are getting back a very promising player. Yager, a first-round pick in 2023, projects as a top-six center in the NHL. Whether he can reach first-line status remains to be seen. In any event, he brings a lot of value given his potential.
This trade also solves a major position of need. Winnipeg is lacking quality center options behind Mark Schiefele on the top line. As of now, PuckPedia projects Vladislav Namestnikov to play second-line center. This makes sense as the veteran pivot is coming off a great season for Winnipeg. However, he does not represent a long-term option.
Yager gives Winnipeg that long-term option. In fact, he gives them two long-term options when it comes to potential top-six center. Cole Perfetti has struggled in the NHL at times since his debut. However, he still has enough upside that could see him play up the lineup. Additionally, Gabe Vilardi could slot in as a center as that is his natural position.
The Jets may have traded the best prospect in this deal. In saying this, Winnipeg certainly does well here. They solve a longer-term need on their roster with this move. And they may have one of the more impressive groups of young centers in the Western Conference as a result.
Grades and final thoughts
The Jets and Penguins both receive high grades for the Rutger McGroarty trade. Pittsburgh receives the best prospect in this trade and a player who could make a more immediate impact. They do trade from a position of weakness to do so. However, this deal solves a need in the same vein.
Winnipeg, on the other hand, did trade the higher-upside prospect. In saying this, they address a need by acquiring a potential top-six center. Yager gives them an impressive group of young centers who could make a real impact on the team down the line.
Pittsburgh Penguins trade: A-
Winnipeg Jets trade: A-
