Prospect Info: Rutger McGroarty, 2022 NHL Draft, #14 Overall

[tbcwpg]

Again, McGroarty wouldn't be able to keep up with NHL calibre first liners. I can see him as an energy guy on the third line only if he gets faster. A Brandon Lemieux with better scoring and hopefully more brains, or as I said earlier, a slower but grittier Andrew Copp.

Takes all types to fill an NHL team. A regular middle 6 forward is not a miss at 14th overall in a shallow draft.

 

[Monkey D Luffy]

I was driving to work and thought to myself, he really reminds me of another Jets first-rounder, Shane Doan. Same height and will likely be around the same size. Power forward, great leader, well-liked. Here's hoping at least!

 

[scelaton]

I think he's going to be slower Andrew Copp with a bit more sandpaper. Third line sounds about right - if he can improve his skating.

The similarities with Copp are that they are built the same, have high hockey IQ, are natural leaders and transitioned from the USHL to U Michigan. The comparisons end there.

Copp produced 4 goals and 15 points in 2 seasons (40 GP) on the US NDT. McGroarty scored 27 goals and 52 points (55GP) in his two seasons with the US NDT. He has far more finesse around the net and that will continue to be evident throughout his career.

If Copp had McGroarty's offensive hockey skills he'd be captain of the Jets right now.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Takes all types to fill an NHL team. A regular middle 6 forward is not a miss at 14th overall in a shallow draft.

I would say a potential middle nine, but I agree. There won’t be a lot of stars coming out of this draft for any team.

Having said that, COVID caused question marks all over the draft. Perhaps we will see some big stars come out of this draft, just not where we might think.

The similarities with Copp are that they are built the same, have high hockey IQ, are natural leaders and transitioned from the USHL to U Michigan. The comparisons end there.

Copp produced 4 goals and 15 points in 2 seasons (40 GP) in the US NDT. McGroarty scored 27 goals and 52 points (55GP) in his two seasons with the US NDT. He has far more finesse around the net and that will continue to be evident throughout his career.

If Copp had McGroaty's offensive hockey skills he'd be captain of the Jets right now.

If McGroarty had Copp’s skating ability, he would have gone top five.

 

[KingBogo]

Again, McGroarty wouldn't be able to keep up with NHL calibre first liners. I can see him as an energy guy on the third line only if he gets faster. A Brandon Lemieux with better scoring and hopefully more brains, or as I said earlier, a slower but grittier Andrew Copp.

He was ranked # 11 in hockey prospects blackbook and they weren’t overly concerned about his skating. No indication he won’t be able to skate at the NHL lever. Not all 1st liners are burners.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Not all 1st liners are burners.

As ScheifMe demonstrates every time he has to come back to the D zone.

 

[Thechozen1]

His skating obviously needs some fine tuning and will get better but it’s not as BAD as some are making it out to be.

He just may be a perfect compliment to a player like Lambert who excels at carrying the puck and making the zone entries. McGroarty may be the trailer on the play with the smarts to know where to go and be a recipient for prime scoring opportunities.

As much as I like Copp, he didn’t have anywhere near the same offensive potential at that age.

 

[GeorgeJETson]

His skating obviously needs some fine tuning and will get better but it’s not as BAD as some are making it out to be.

He just may be a perfect compliment to a player like Lambert who excels at carrying the puck and making the zone entries. McGroarty may be the trailer on the play with the smarts to know where to go and be a recipient for prime scoring opportunities.

As much as I like Copp, he didn’t have anywhere near the same offensive potential at that age.

I'm wondering what a Perfetti-McGroarty-Lambert line would look like now...

 

[MardyBum]

The hug between him and Miro makes more sense now, didnt know they'd known each other so long.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Here is a scouting report from a guy we might have actually drafted if we didn't win the lotto

"Despite his vast array of skills and elite hockey sense, ######’s two biggest areas of weakness are among the concerns that are holding him back from potentially competing for a top three selection in this draft. His skating, while solid and showing good agility and balance, is still a tick slower than most other top prospects and could keep him from becoming an elite scoring threat in the NHL."

 

[tbcwpg]

Here is a scouting report from a guy we might have actually drafted if we didn't win the lotto

"Despite his vast array of skills and elite hockey sense, ######’s two biggest areas of weakness are among the concerns that are holding him back from potentially competing for a top three selection in this draft. His skating, while solid and showing good agility and balance, is still a tick slower than most other top prospects and could keep him from becoming an elite scoring threat in the NHL."

Only 104 points for that guy this year what a bust.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

TB hot take of the week: Rutger will be the Jets' captain one day.

 

[Daximus]

Only 104 points for that guy this year what a bust.

He only had 69 points this year. EP is weird in that it counts his total stats wtih the U18 team as 69 points in 54 games for all games played by them which includes NCAA. Then it separates only the games he played against USHL competition as 33 points in 25 games.

Common mistake though. But if you want total stats then just look at the USDP numbers. He did lead the team in goals though.

 

[tbcwpg]

He only had 69 points this year. EP is weird in that it counts his total stats wtih the U18 team as 69 points in 54 games for all games played by them which includes NCAA. Then it separates only the games he played against USHL competition as 33 points in 25 games.

Common mistake though. But if you want total stats then just look at the USDP numbers. He did lead the team in goals though.

Joe was talking about Tkachuk from 2016 and comparing it to McGroarty this year.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

He only had 69 points this year. EP is weird in that it counts his total stats wtih the U18 team as 69 points in 54 games for all games played by them which includes NCAA. Then it separates only the games he played against USHL competition as 33 points in 25 games.

Common mistake though. But if you want total stats then just look at the USDP numbers. He did lead the team in goals though.

He was talking about the guy I was comparing him too

 

[Daximus]

Joe was talking about Tkachuk from 2016 and comparing it to McGroarty this year.

He was talking about the guy I was comparing him too

My bad! I just added the two up and they come out to 102 haha so looks like I'm just lost in the convo.

 

[Mud Turtle]

Does anyone know who McGroarty’s linemates were? Watching highlights it seems like it was mixed up quite a bit, but overall was he on the second line with Snugaruud?

 

[DRW204]

Does anyone know who McGroarty’s linemates were? Watching highlights it seems like it was mixed up quite a bit, but overall was he on the second line with Snugaruud?

they mix their lines quite a bit. i think Nazar was mostly 2nd line, and Rutger 3rd

 

[jimsabo21]

I think Rutger McGroarty's skill is VASTLY understated in this thread. Yes, he plays a *heavy* game, but he's demonstrated from a very young age that he's always been amongst the BEST 2004 born kids in the world. This is no fluke or one year wonder.

In 2013, when he was 10 years old, he played at the famous Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament in Edmonton. He lead the tournament with 9 goals in six games. Is that good? Well, other high draft picks played in the same tournament:

McGroarty - 9 goals
Savoie - 3 goals
Goyette - 3 goals
Shane Wright - 2 goals
Isaac Howard - 2 goals
Hutson - 2 goals
Korchinski - 2 goals
Cutter Gauthier - 1 goal
Owen Pickering - 1 goal
Mateychuk - 0 goals
Geekie - 0 goals

Again, he was regarded as the best 2004 born player in the US. In 2017 as a 13 year old, he played in the toughest AAA circuit (Michigan / Honeybaked). These were his results vs other top propects that same season:

Rutger McGroarty - 17GP - 40G, 7A - 47npts
Lane Hutson - 15 GP - 12G, 9A - 21 pts
Cutter Gauthier - 17GP - 6G - 11A - 17 pts
Seamus Casey - 16GP - 7G - 8A - 15 pts
Frank Nazar - 17GP - 4G - 7A - 11 pts

That Spring, (now 14 years old) he played in (and led in scoring) the Draft Day Selects Elite Tournament:

McGroarty - 17pts
Ostlund - 11 pts
Gauthier - 10 pts
Slafkovsky - 7 pts
Hutson - 7 pts
Mateychuk - 5 pts


The following fall AAA season (14 years old, turning 15 in the new year):

Cole Spicer - 51G - 118A - 169 pts
Rutger McGroarty - 82G - 78A - 160 pts
David Goyette - 49G - 104A - 153 pts
Frank Nazar - 49G - 78A - 127 pts

**HE LED THE LEAGUE IN GOALS BY 31 - THAT'S NUTS **

When the winter season was over, he once again played in the Elite Draft Day Spring tournament against his peers from around the world. Just like The Brick Tournament and Elite Draft Day Selects, he ONCE AGAIN led the entire tournament in scoring:

McGroarty - 19 pts
Hutson - 16 pts
Casey - 15 pts
Howard - 13 pts
Dumais - 10 pts
Snuggerud - 9 pts
Goyette - 8 pts
Cooley - 7 pts
Gauthier - 7 pts
Ostlund - 6 pts
Nazar - 5 pts
Owen Beck - 4 pts
Spicer - 4 pts
Minten - 3 pts

Fast forward to his draft year, and McGroarty leads the USNDTP in goals (35G) which is more than Cooley / Nazar / Howard + is 3rd in pts per games/played (nearly identical to Nazar and just slightly below Cooley / Howard).

His last major international tournament prior to draft was the U18s where he was 2nd in goals:

Jiri Kulich: 9G
McGroarty: 8G
Howard: 6G
Kemell: 6G
Bedard: 6G
Lekkerimaki: 5G
Ostlund: 4G
Cooley: 3G
Ohgren: 3G
Nazar: 3G
Gauthier: 3G


If it's not evident already, Rutger McGroarty has been amongst the tops for 2004 born kids for a LONG time. He didn't have a *fluke* season. This isn't Andrew Copp or Adam Lowry. He's been a top 3 scorer in virtually every league and tournament he's played in. Don't let the *power forward* moniker confuse you. He's a HIGH skill player that just happens to also be physical. A bit of a unicorn. Had he played CHL hockey this year, I have no doubt he would have produced a nearly the same rate as Shane Wright and / or Matt Savoie. He's been putting up insane numbers his entire life.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Does anyone know who McGroarty’s linemates were? Watching highlights it seems like it was mixed up quite a bit, but overall was he on the second line with Snugaruud?

Snuggerud played almost entirely on Cooley's wing. Gauthier played a lot on the other wing, but also had some time on other lines. McGroarty was part of mix and match lines for a lot of the season on the second and third lines behind Cooley's lines, if you can even call lines with a bunch of first round picks second and third lines. There weren't that many consistent lines, except for that top line and then the players who were at the bottom of the lineup also had some consistency in those roles. He's certainly no product offensively of any player in that lineup. If anything, you could say he had less offensive help than most of those other forwards on that team.

 

[Krauser]

If it's not evident already, Rutger McGroarty has been amongst the tops for 2004 born kids for a LONG time. He didn't have a *fluke* season. This isn't Andrew Copp or Adam Lowry. He's been a top 3 scorer in virtually every league and tournament he's played in. Don't let the *power forward* moniker confuse you. He's a HIGH skill player that just happens to also be physical. A bit of a unicorn. Had he played CHL hockey this year, I have no doubt he would have produced a nearly the same rate as Shane Wright and / or Matt Savoie. He's been putting up insane numbers his entire life.

Amazing post. No wonder McGroarty radiates confidence.

 

[Thechozen1]

Amazing post. No wonder McGroarty radiates confidence.

Amazing talent yet somehow less fanfare than the likes of Gauthier, Nazar and Howard. Perfectly fine by me. When all is said and done I won’t be surprised if a redraft has him well inside the top 10

 

[JetsUK]

I think Rutger McGroarty's skill is VASTLY understated in this thread. Yes, he plays a *heavy* game, but he's demonstrated from a very young age that he's always been amongst the BEST 2004 born kids in the world. This is no fluke or one year wonder.

In 2013, when he was 10 years old, he played at the famous Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament in Edmonton. He lead the tournament with 9 goals in six games. Is that good? Well, other high draft picks played in the same tournament:

McGroarty - 9 goals
Savoie - 3 goals
Goyette - 3 goals
Shane Wright - 2 goals
Isaac Howard - 2 goals
Hutson - 2 goals
Korchinski - 2 goals
Cutter Gauthier - 1 goal
Owen Pickering - 1 goal
Mateychuk - 0 goals
Geekie - 0 goals

Again, he was regarded as the best 2004 born player in the US. In 2017 as a 13 year old, he played in the toughest AAA circuit (Michigan / Honeybaked). These were his results vs other top propects that same season:

Rutger McGroarty - 17GP - 40G, 7A - 47npts
Lane Hutson - 15 GP - 12G, 9A - 21 pts
Cutter Gauthier - 17GP - 6G - 11A - 17 pts
Seamus Casey - 16GP - 7G - 8A - 15 pts
Frank Nazar - 17GP - 4G - 7A - 11 pts

That Spring, (now 14 years old) he played in (and led in scoring) the Draft Day Selects Elite Tournament:

McGroarty - 17pts
Ostlund - 11 pts
Gauthier - 10 pts
Slafkovsky - 7 pts
Hutson - 7 pts
Mateychuk - 5 pts


The following fall AAA season (14 years old, turning 15 in the new year):

Cole Spicer - 51G - 118A - 169 pts
Rutger McGroarty - 82G - 78A - 160 pts
David Goyette - 49G - 104A - 153 pts
Frank Nazar - 49G - 78A - 127 pts

**HE LED THE LEAGUE IN GOALS BY 31 - THAT'S NUTS **

When the winter season was over, he once again played in the Elite Draft Day Spring tournament against his peers from around the world. Just like The Brick Tournament and Elite Draft Day Selects, he ONCE AGAIN led the entire tournament in scoring:

McGroarty - 19 pts
Hutson - 16 pts
Casey - 15 pts
Howard - 13 pts
Dumais - 10 pts
Snuggerud - 9 pts
Goyette - 8 pts
Cooley - 7 pts
Gauthier - 7 pts
Ostlund - 6 pts
Nazar - 5 pts
Owen Beck - 4 pts
Spicer - 4 pts
Minten - 3 pts

Fast forward to his draft year, and McGroarty leads the USNDTP in goals (35G) which is more than Cooley / Nazar / Howard + is 3rd in pts per games/played (nearly identical to Nazar and just slightly below Cooley / Howard).

His last major international tournament prior to draft was the U18s where he was 2nd in goals:

Jiri Kulich: 9G
McGroarty: 8G
Howard: 6G
Kemell: 6G
Bedard: 6G
Lekkerimaki: 5G
Ostlund: 4G
Cooley: 3G
Ohgren: 3G
Nazar: 3G
Gauthier: 3G


If it's not evident already, Rutger McGroarty has been amongst the tops for 2004 born kids for a LONG time. He didn't have a *fluke* season. This isn't Andrew Copp or Adam Lowry. He's been a top 3 scorer in virtually every league and tournament he's played in. Don't let the *power forward* moniker confuse you. He's a HIGH skill player that just happens to also be physical. A bit of a unicorn. Had he played CHL hockey this year, I have no doubt he would have produced a nearly the same rate as Shane Wright and / or Matt Savoie. He's been putting up insane numbers his entire life.

This is a great post -- and not just because it's so encouraging. Thanks for taking the time to find and collate this data, and then nuance it via comparisons to peers.

I also really like that his scoring does not seem to have been at the expense of his versatility and all-around play. The program does seem to emphasize playing many roles up and down a lineup, and this flexibility should help prepare him to play across the Jets lineup once he gets there. We absolutely need a player like Roars and I'm really looking forward to watching him develop at Michigan. I'm guessing he follows a Connor path and hopefully is a Jet within 2-3 years.

The idea of him playing as a scoring possession and retrieval player on a Perfetti-led line is giving me tingles...

 

[DRW204]

I've seen him listed as C quite a bit online. But scrolling through some of the line up cards later in the year was playing wing next to Stramel

Consensus is he's a wing?

 

[Finnflash]

I think Rutger McGroarty's skill is VASTLY understated in this thread. Yes, he plays a *heavy* game, but he's demonstrated from a very young age that he's always been amongst the BEST 2004 born kids in the world. This is no fluke or one year wonder.

In 2013, when he was 10 years old, he played at the famous Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament in Edmonton. He lead the tournament with 9 goals in six games. Is that good? Well, other high draft picks played in the same tournament:

McGroarty - 9 goals
Savoie - 3 goals
Goyette - 3 goals
Shane Wright - 2 goals
Isaac Howard - 2 goals
Hutson - 2 goals
Korchinski - 2 goals
Cutter Gauthier - 1 goal
Owen Pickering - 1 goal
Mateychuk - 0 goals
Geekie - 0 goals

Again, he was regarded as the best 2004 born player in the US. In 2017 as a 13 year old, he played in the toughest AAA circuit (Michigan / Honeybaked). These were his results vs other top propects that same season:

Rutger McGroarty - 17GP - 40G, 7A - 47npts
Lane Hutson - 15 GP - 12G, 9A - 21 pts
Cutter Gauthier - 17GP - 6G - 11A - 17 pts
Seamus Casey - 16GP - 7G - 8A - 15 pts
Frank Nazar - 17GP - 4G - 7A - 11 pts

That Spring, (now 14 years old) he played in (and led in scoring) the Draft Day Selects Elite Tournament:

McGroarty - 17pts
Ostlund - 11 pts
Gauthier - 10 pts
Slafkovsky - 7 pts
Hutson - 7 pts
Mateychuk - 5 pts


The following fall AAA season (14 years old, turning 15 in the new year):

Cole Spicer - 51G - 118A - 169 pts
Rutger McGroarty - 82G - 78A - 160 pts
David Goyette - 49G - 104A - 153 pts
Frank Nazar - 49G - 78A - 127 pts

**HE LED THE LEAGUE IN GOALS BY 31 - THAT'S NUTS **

When the winter season was over, he once again played in the Elite Draft Day Spring tournament against his peers from around the world. Just like The Brick Tournament and Elite Draft Day Selects, he ONCE AGAIN led the entire tournament in scoring:

McGroarty - 19 pts
Hutson - 16 pts
Casey - 15 pts
Howard - 13 pts
Dumais - 10 pts
Snuggerud - 9 pts
Goyette - 8 pts
Cooley - 7 pts
Gauthier - 7 pts
Ostlund - 6 pts
Nazar - 5 pts
Owen Beck - 4 pts
Spicer - 4 pts
Minten - 3 pts

Fast forward to his draft year, and McGroarty leads the USNDTP in goals (35G) which is more than Cooley / Nazar / Howard + is 3rd in pts per games/played (nearly identical to Nazar and just slightly below Cooley / Howard).

His last major international tournament prior to draft was the U18s where he was 2nd in goals:

Jiri Kulich: 9G
McGroarty: 8G
Howard: 6G
Kemell: 6G
Bedard: 6G
Lekkerimaki: 5G
Ostlund: 4G
Cooley: 3G
Ohgren: 3G
Nazar: 3G
Gauthier: 3G


If it's not evident already, Rutger McGroarty has been amongst the tops for 2004 born kids for a LONG time. He didn't have a *fluke* season. This isn't Andrew Copp or Adam Lowry. He's been a top 3 scorer in virtually every league and tournament he's played in. Don't let the *power forward* moniker confuse you. He's a HIGH skill player that just happens to also be physical. A bit of a unicorn. Had he played CHL hockey this year, I have no doubt he would have produced a nearly the same rate as Shane Wright and / or Matt Savoie. He's been putting up insane numbers his entire life.

Awesome post. Thank you