2 Eastern Conference NHL teams combine to make blockbuster trade
Prospects, especially top ones, are players you don't see traded often as they can be a cornerstone for your franchise 10-15 years down the road.
Well, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets did just that. The Blue Jackets sent their top prospect in the pipeline, and all-round NHL Rutger McGroarty to the Penguins in exchange for one of their top prospects, Braydon Yager. Pittsburgh then signed McGroarty to a three-year deal right after the trade was made.
McGroarty made it clear to Columbus that he wasn't going to sign with them, so Columbus had no choice but to trade him. Rutger was drafted 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. McGroarty is 20 years old and hails from Lincoln, Nebraska. He is 6'1, 200 pounds and is projected to be a top-line power forward. McGroarty can score goals at ease. This past year at Michigan, Rutger had 52 points in 36 games with 16 goals.
Yager is 19 years old and was born in Saskatoon, Canada. Yager is lighter than Rutger and is more of a shifty forward at 5'11, 179 pounds. Braydon, like McGroarty, was drafted 14th overall. But Yager was drafted in the 2023 draft and is a year younger. Yager really impressed over in the WHL last season, having 95 points in 57 games, while being Alternate Captain on the Moose Jaw Warriors.
All in all, it was a one-for-one top prospect hockey trade that satisfied both sides and needs, everything considered.
| POLL | ||
Was this a good trade? | ||
| Yes | 13 | 20.3 % |
| No | 8 | 12.5 % |
| Time will tell | 43 | 67.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
