Pittsburgh Review

Rutger McGroarty is set to make his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in their season opener against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. The 20-year-old forward, who was acquired from Winnipeg in August and signed an entry-level contract after two years at Michigan, shared the news with his family and girlfriend.

“It’s definitely been a hectic past couple months, but it’s been super fun,” McGroarty said. Reflecting on his journey from Lincoln, Nebraska, he added, “There’s been a lot of people that have helped me get to this point.”

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan emphasized McGroarty's hard work leading up to this opportunity. “You’ve earned every aspect of it. You should be proud of that,” Sullivan told him.

Kyle Dubas, Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM, described McGroarty as “smart” and “competitive.” He noted McGroarty's intelligence and instincts as key factors for acquiring him.

McGroarty aims to bring his competitive spirit to the team. "I come ready to compete every single day," he said. He also expressed excitement about adapting to the professional level: "I feel like I've done a good job adapting to the speed."

Reflecting on his new role, McGroarty remarked, "You're busy pretty much all day. Like this is my job now." As one of the youngest players in recent Penguins history to debut, he embraces the challenge while staying focused on playing his game.

McGroarty looks forward to continuing his hockey career in the NHL: “Playing your first NHL game, obviously that's really cool. But it's hockey, so just continue to go out there.”