Rutger McGroarty Named Penguins' Top Prospect Under 25

The Pittsburgh Penguins are potentially headed towards a long-term rebuild, but around Sidney Crosby, the organization have infused some talented young players into the team already.

One of those players is former Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Rutger McGroarty, who made his NHL debut with the team last season, and now projects to be a long-term star for the Penguins on the wing.

According to PensBurgh, McGroarty is the Penguins top prospect under 25 years of age, and after posting 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games played in the AHL a season ago at just 21-years of age, it's easy to see why expectations are so high.

Last summer, the Penguins acquired McGroarty in a deal involving Brayden Yager from the Winnipeg Jets, and despite the perceived baggage around the former Michigan star, Kyle Dubas and the franchise were happy to take on that risk for a player of his talent.

Now, with Head Coach Dan Muse taking over and a full pre-season on a line with Sidney Crosby under his belt, there's plenty of optimism that McGroarty could take that major leap in 2025/26.

With 1 goal and 3 points in 8 NHL games so far, McGroarty has all the makings of a star winger that could average 80 points a year in the long-term for Pittsburgh, and if he takes that leap this season, the team could be very exciting to watch for fans.