A highly touted prospect boasting 91 points in 75 NCAA games over two seasons with the University of Michigan, Rutger McGroarty needed some time to adjust to the professional level but eventually finished seventh on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 39 points in 60 games. A power forward with a nose for the net, McGroarty scored a goal and recorded three points in five NHL games to close out the 2024-25 season and looks to make the jump to the NHL level in 2025-26 and represent that start of a youth movement in Pittsburgh.