According to Elliotte Friedman on today's edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Winnipeg Jets prospect Rutger McGroarty is refusing to speak to the team, leading to trade discussions.
McGroarty was drafted by the Jets 14th overall in 2022, and returned to playing NCAA hockey for this last season. He's also already committed to returning to college next season, and with the lack of talks with Winnipeg, it seems he's forcing a trade like many other College prospects.
Many other College prospects have refused to sign with their NHL teams after the Draft, returning to school until they become a free agent or force a trade. Adam Fox and Cutter Gauthier are two recent examples, and now it seems McGroarty will be the next.
Honestly, it's extremely tough for Winnipeg Jets fans to see yet another player refuse to play there. The reality is that plenty of NHL players would rather play in other destinations than the True North in Winnipeg, and it makes it so much harder to build a competitive team.
Other Canadian NHL teams are mostly at a disadvantage to keep players compared to American teams, but in Winnipeg that reality is much tougher. Thankfully the Oilers have enough to offer to still attract top players to sign and stay, but in Winnipeg, that has scarcely been the reality.
