Despite slow statistical start, Rutger McGroarty earns praise for performance, attitude in AHL

WILKES-BARRE — Cracking the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster out of training camp and making his NHL debut with the club earlier in October represented dreams coming true for Rutger McGroarty.

But after three games, the Penguins sent him to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Oct. 16.

Penguins management believes McGroarty will be able to see more minutes and play a larger overall role with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins than was on the table in Pittsburgh.

Ultimately, McGroarty did not resent being assigned to the AHL, nor did he consider it a demotion but instead, an opportunity to continue refining his overall game.

“You hear about the NHL your whole life, but you don’t really know what it’s like until you’re there,” McGroarty said. “For me, reflecting on it, coming down here, I can definitely work on more things in the (offensive zone). I feel like defensively, I was good (with the Penguins), but in the (offensive zone), holding onto pucks, taking pucks to the net — you hear about the NHL and how fast it is, so you’re trying to get pucks on and off your tape.

“I feel like there’s definitely opportunities for me to hold onto pucks and take pucks to the net or just create more by myself.”

McGroarty made his Wilkes-Barre/Scranton debut Oct. 18, appearing as right wing on the club’s third line.

The following evening, he flipped to left wing, also on the Penguins’ third line.

As he prepares to suit up for his fifth AHL game Wednesday, McGroarty has played the last two on the Penguins’ top line at left wing.

Coach Kirk MacDonald admitted he tossed McGroarty in the deep end from the jump.

But MacDonald complimented McGroarty’s ability to hack it in a new environment.

“He’s been great,” MacDonald said. “I think we probably didn’t put him in the best position to succeed last week — just kind of threw him in. You get sent down, new team — that’s a tough situation for any kid. It’s a great learning experience, too, to face that little bit of adversity. You’re up (in the NHL), all this stuff’s going on, you’re down — it’s a whirlwind first time going through all that. But he’s adapted really well.”

From a purely statistical standpoint, the numbers would suggest McGroarty, who has zero points through four games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, has gotten off to a slow start.

But MacDonald said what he’s seen tells a different tale.

In particular, during a loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Oct. 25, MacDonald rated McGroarty as his club’s best forward on the night.

“To me, the stat sheet is really not indicative of what he’s doing right now,” MacDonald said. “… Once one goes in for him, I think a lot are going to go in. To me, the stats are almost like, eventually they’re going to take care of themselves. It’s a long season.”

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McGroarty played two seasons at Michigan before the Penguins traded for him in August, leading into his first NHL training camp and eventual debut.

The 20-year-old enjoyed getting to work under Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh and, so far, has established a good relationship with MacDonald, who is in his first year at the helm in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

“Kirk has been awesome,” McGroarty said. “He’s a great coach, he loves his guys and I feel like he’s also a very smart hockey mind. I’ve sat down with him (to watch) video and his hockey mind is definitely incredible. It’s really fun to learn something from guys like that who have been around the game for a long time, who look at the game through a great hockey lens.”

Playing in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has brought McGroarty into orbit with several other of the Penguins’ top prospects, including forwards Ville Koivunen and Tristan Broz, as well as defenseman Owen Pickering.

Forming bonds with them has aided in the transition as McGroarty accumulates more AHL experience.

As was his goal in Pittsburgh, McGroarty aims to simply improve as a professional hockey player.

“I’m still 20 years old, so this is my first good kick at the can with pro hockey,” McGroarty said. “So just kind of getting used to the pro game, getting used to the schedule and taking advantage of every day. That’s the biggest thing, caring about my development, attacking every day and just keep getting better and better.”