Yes but Gauthier has much better upside. Drysdale has an NHL 3 yr history of injuries. Flyers got fleeced. This deal seems very equal of 2 guys yet to play in the NHL. Cant remember a trade like that. Interesting to see how it plays out very risky for Pens not so much for Jets as they had to trade him.
- hfc355

Agreed. The team trading the disgruntled player (Gauthier) got the weaker return. Gauthier a much better prospect than Drysdale given injuries. Cant say the same on this one. At least neutral if Winnipeg not getting the better return. Not sure why?

Rutger is American and therefore inferior.

Also his (frank)ing name is Rutger McGroarty. That ain't a hockey name.
- BINGO!

He can be our next Mark Donk.

He can be our next Mark Donk.
- MickV

Tough to replace a hall of famer

Tough to replace a hall of famer
- Victoro311

With a name like Rutger McGroarty, this guy is destined to do something that gets a bridge or tunnel named after him, and where has more of those than Pittsburgh?

Well this is a surprise. As much as I liked Yager, this is a good move for the Pens. Higher rated prospect who is ready to play now.

LW was a more immediate area of need. I still expect DOC to start on the top line because Sully will "make the young guy earn it" but McGroarty SHOULD replace him mid season.

The other pro is that the Pens have been physically weak for a bit. Adding McGroarty, Howe, and Brunicke in one off-season has the top ten prospect list looking much tougher.

Cons. Yager had a good chance to be a top six center. Maybe not a franchise guy, but the two way type that could matchup while being a big bomb on the right side. They no longer have anything for either of those roles in the system. In fact there is nothing that resembles a top six center or pick moving defenseman, so there is still a lot of work to do in future drafts.

Other con, a lot of the Pens top forward prospects, McGroarty, Koivunen, Ponomarev, Poulin, aee all below average skaters in a league where speed is important. So it's a systemic issue that will need addressed.

But still, can't do everything at once and think this is a win for the Pens. Plus it makes the coming season more interesting.

Well this is a surprise. As much as I liked Yager, this is a good move for the Pens. Higher rated prospect who is ready to play now.

LW was a more immediate area of need. I still expect DOC to start on the top line because Sully will "make the young guy earn it" but McGroarty SHOULD replace him mid season.

The other pro is that the Pens have been physically weak for a bit. Adding McGroarty, Howe, and Brunicke in one off-season has the top ten prospect list looking much tougher.

Cons. Yager had a good chance to be a top six center. Maybe not a franchise guy, but the two way type that could matchup while being a big bomb on the right side. They no longer have anything for either of those roles in the system. In fact there is nothing that resembles a top six center or pick moving defenseman, so there is still a lot of work to do in future drafts.

Other con, a lot of the Pens top forward prospects, McGroarty, Koivunen, Ponomarev, Poulin, aee all below average skaters in a league where speed is important. So it's a systemic issue that will need addressed.

But still, can't do everything at once and think this is a win for the Pens. Plus it makes the coming season more interesting.
- Tojo.

Stop including Poulin as a top prospect!

Hey maybe Yager will hold out and come back to us again one day!

Well this is a surprise. As much as I liked Yager, this is a good move for the Pens. Higher rated prospect who is ready to play now.

LW was a more immediate area of need. I still expect DOC to start on the top line because Sully will "make the young guy earn it" but McGroarty SHOULD replace him mid season.

The other pro is that the Pens have been physically weak for a bit. Adding McGroarty, Howe, and Brunicke in one off-season has the top ten prospect list looking much tougher.

Cons. Yager had a good chance to be a top six center. Maybe not a franchise guy, but the two way type that could matchup while being a big bomb on the right side. They no longer have anything for either of those roles in the system. In fact there is nothing that resembles a top six center or pick moving defenseman, so there is still a lot of work to do in future drafts.

Other con, a lot of the Pens top forward prospects, McGroarty, Koivunen, Ponomarev, Poulin, aee all below average skaters in a league where speed is important. So it's a systemic issue that will need addressed.

But still, can't do everything at once and think this is a win for the Pens. Plus it makes the coming season more interesting.
- Tojo.

I dunno if Yager was ever going to be a center at the NHL level

Stop including Poulin as a top prospect!
- Victoro311

In our pool he still is. Besides McGroarty, nobody else is really a top forward prospect.

I dunno if Yager was ever going to be a center at the NHL level
- j.boyd919

I disagree on that. Time will tell but not as important now.

In our pool he still is. Besides McGroarty, nobody else is really a top forward prospect.
- Tojo.

He’s 23 and past his ELC. He’s not a prospect anymore. At this point he’s a young guy who plays for our AHL team.

He can be our next Mark Donk.
- MickV

Buzz Flibit.

He’s 23 and past his ELC. He’s not a prospect anymore. At this point he’s a young guy who plays for our AHL team.
- Victoro311

Yeah, Poulin never pops in my mind as a Pens prospect anymore.

J Fresh’s model likes McGroaty a whole lot more to be an NHL regular than Yager but their star potential is comparable. So much safer bet with slightly higher upside. Factor in NHL readiness and it’s really hard to criticize the trade. Again, sucks we don’t have both right now and couldn’t get it done for future picks and/or Pickering, but this is a good outcome

Yeah, Poulin never pops in my mind as a Pens prospect anymore.
- MattStrat

I kind of feel like we've seen the last of him. Not being a Dubas pick will work against him. We've loaded up on bottom 6 forwards that will likely get a job over Poulin. He never got much of a look, but also never distinguished himself when he had a chance.

At the worst he’s a third liner this year. At the best he’s 1st line. He was captain America winning gold at wjc last year. He is physical.

Finally a skilled player for grinder to root for
- Feds91Stammer

We’ll see. Depends if he’s a wussy or not.

Well this is a surprise. As much as I liked Yager, this is a good move for the Pens. Higher rated prospect who is ready to play now.

LW was a more immediate area of need. I still expect DOC to start on the top line because Sully will "make the young guy earn it" but McGroarty SHOULD replace him mid season.

The other pro is that the Pens have been physically weak for a bit. Adding McGroarty, Howe, and Brunicke in one off-season has the top ten prospect list looking much tougher.

Cons. Yager had a good chance to be a top six center. Maybe not a franchise guy, but the two way type that could matchup while being a big bomb on the right side. They no longer have anything for either of those roles in the system. In fact there is nothing that resembles a top six center or pick moving defenseman, so there is still a lot of work to do in future drafts.

Other con, a lot of the Pens top forward prospects, McGroarty, Koivunen, Ponomarev, Poulin, aee all below average skaters in a league where speed is important. So it's a systemic issue that will need addressed.

But still, can't do everything at once and think this is a win for the Pens. Plus it makes the coming season more interesting.
- Tojo.

Just bring Harkins back.

I like the move! Kinda wish we traded for Vasily Podkolzin as well. Him going for a 4th was a solid deal by Edmonton.

Just bring Harkins back.
- Grinder47

You’re a sicko.

I’m excited for this Rutger kid but I caution everyone to remember Sergei Plotnikov before penciling him into the first line. He hasn’t played a professional minute yet and is more likely to be a bust than a 50 pt scorer out the gate

I’m excited for this Rutger kid but I caution everyone to remember Sergei Plotnikov before penciling him into the first line. He hasn’t played a professional minute yet and is more likely to be a bust than a 50 pt scorer out the gate
- Victoro311

Lol Plotnikov? What a random reference. He's at least a highly rated prospect, Plotnikov was just some hope for a vet coming over.

Pouliot would be the better comparison. Former top ten prospect.

He’s 23 and past his ELC. He’s not a prospect anymore. At this point he’s a young guy who plays for our AHL team.
- Victoro311

We're Puustinen and St. Ivany prospects last year because they were 24.

Realistically though, it's like madmike said above. The Pens have 12 vets, all but DOC making 7 figures, plus Nieto if he ever plays again. Leaves 1-2 spots for a young guy with McGroarty, Puustinen, Puljujarvi, Bennstrom, Poulin, Ponomarev, and Gruden competing.

I may like him, but Poulin has almost no chance of cracking the roster. And time is running out of he can't make a move this year. Might even get lost on waivers. Good chance we lose multiple players.

We're Puustinen and St. Ivany prospects last year because they were 24.

Realistically though, it's like madmike said above. The Pens have 12 vets, all but DOC making 7 figures, plus Nieto if he ever plays again. Leaves 1-2 spots for a young guy with McGroarty, Puustinen, Puljujarvi, Bennstrom, Poulin, Ponomarev, and Gruden competing.

I may like him, but Poulin has almost no chance of cracking the roster. And time is running out of he can't make a move this year. Might even get lost on waivers. Good chance we lose multiple players.
- Tojo.

A lot of us said multiple times Puustinen wasn’t really a prospect anymore. St Ivany is a bit of a special case where he signed his ELC pretty old and was still on his second year of professional hockey but if someone were to say he wasn’t in the prospect phase of his career anymore, I wouldn’t argue it

We're Puustinen and St. Ivany prospects last year because they were 24.

Realistically though, it's like madmike said above. The Pens have 12 vets, all but DOC making 7 figures, plus Nieto if he ever plays again. Leaves 1-2 spots for a young guy with McGroarty, Puustinen, Puljujarvi, Bennstrom, Poulin, Ponomarev, and Gruden competing.

I may like him, but Poulin has almost no chance of cracking the roster. And time is running out of he can't make a move this year. Might even get lost on waivers. Good chance we lose multiple players.
- Tojo.

Puustin sucks too. Giant wussy.