Rutger McGroarty nearly traded for the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft

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Tom Banks
July 11, 2024 (10:49)

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After weeks of speculation following his recent activity, Winnipeg Jets top prospect Rutger McGroarty was almost drafted in a blockbuster at the 2024 NHL Draft.

The Winnipeg Jets had high hopes for Rutger McGroarty, but in the past few months, his attitude has put a lot of people off, and now it may have effected his stock around the entire league. In a recent report, it was revealed that McGroarty was almost traded at the 2024 NHL Draft, with the Minnesota Wild reportedly accepting the idea of sending the No. 13 overall pick to Winnipeg.

"At least two other teams thought they had a deal for Rutger McGroarty during the first round of the draft. One of them, to my knowledge, was put off by the idea that his hope was a clear path to NHL playing time"

Unsurprisingly given the attitude in recent weeks, those teams were put off by his idea to immediately jump to the NHL rather than earn his way there, any deal was eventually called off. Minnesota would then use the No. 13 overall pick to move up a spot and draft Zeev Buium out of the University of Denver, with Rutger's draft around the league continuing to fall.

When he does eventually turn pro, there's an expectation that McGroarty will get an agent and in turn better advice about how to go about his future, but for now, it seems as though his attitude is not only holding him back from playing time with the Jets, but many teams around the NHL.