Big-league dreams on hold

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This article was published 15/04/2024 (539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rutger McGroarty has opted to return to college for another season rather than sign a contract to immediately join the Winnipeg Jets.

That shouldn’t be cause for concern for Jets fans, nor does it suggest there’s any issues between the organization and its top forward prospect, who was selected 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Quite the contrary.

The decision Monday came after careful consideration and consultation between both sides.

The cold, hard reality is that there’s very little room at the inn right now when it comes to the Jets’ forward group. Just look at the current lineup, with Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson and Rasmus Kupari all likely to begin the playoffs next week as healthy scratches.

Then there’s Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Dominic Toninato and rookies Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov, among others, currently impressing with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League and waiting in the wings.

Fact is, the Jets simply could not guarantee McGroarty a full-time NHL spot for next season. Only trade-deadline additions Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli are unrestricted free agents, so no mass exodus is expected this summer.

And so the 20-year-old will return to the University of Michigan for his third season and might just be named team captain next fall in a program that, as always, is expected to be rock solid.

“We always told Rutger when preparedness intersects with opportunity, it’s time to go,” his mother, Cindy McGroarty, told the Free Press last week..

“Winnipeg knows when opportunity is there, Rutger knows when he’s prepared. He won’t put himself in a bad situation, and it’s not like he’s in a horrible situation for development. So, if someone says, ‘No, you have room to grow before you’re ready,’ that’s OK, too. He’s prepared for just about anything.”

Signing now likely would have meant spending some time with the Moose rather than jumping right into a deep Jets lineup that is very much a contender rather than in the rebuilding stage. A great developmental path, for sure, but another year to help lead a perennial powerhouse like Michigan is beneficial, too.

McGroarty emerged as one of the top players in the NCAA this season with 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) in 36 games. He also captained the U.S. to a gold medal at the world junior championship just six weeks after taking a hit and suffering a punctured lung and broken rib.

His Wolverines made it to the Frozen Four for a second consecutive year but lost 4-0 in the semi-final — again. Perhaps, third time will be the charm?

Speculation about McGroarty increased in recent days as a handful of his teammates signed pro contracts. His linemate and good friend, Frank Nazar, inked an entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, then scored in his NHL debut on Sunday. His other linemate, Gavin Brindley, signed an ELC on Monday with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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It’s worth noting Chicago and Columbus are in very different places than Winnipeg in terms of their ability to throw a young player into the lineup.

The Jets still hold McGroarty’s rights through to the summer of 2026. However, getting a deal next spring seems likely when there could be job openings with Nikolaj Ehers, Alex Iafallo, Mason Appleton, Vlad Namestnikov, Fjallby and Toninato all set to be UFAs in the summer of 2025.

McGroarty, who raved about his relationship with the Jets last week, is likely to attend Winnipeg’s development camp in early July, just as he did last summer. He will also continue to work on his skating, an area he admits needs the most work, with former Canadian Olympian Barb Underhill, who is his personal coach.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.

Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.