Penguins place Rutger McGroarty on injured reserve with concussion

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Wednesday morning that forward Rutger McGroarty has sustained a concussion, and the team has placed him on injured reserve with no current timetable for his return to game action.

McGroarty was the first-round pick at No. 14 overall of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. After opting not to sign an entry-level contract with Winnipeg, the Jets dealt him to the Penguins in August of 2024 in a swap that sent another top prospect in Brayden Yager back the other way.

In his 16 NHL games this season, McGroarty has two goals and an assist while skating an average of 12:13 per game. In his first taste of NHL action a year ago, he had three points in eight games played.

The former Michigan Wolverine has flashed his offensive upside this season while with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, where he has four goals and three assists for seven points in just five games. Last season, he racked up 39 points in 60 appearances in the AHL.

While McGroarty’s acquisition and development is a key factor for Pittsburgh’s youth movement and future under Kyle Dubas and head coach Dan Muse, the Penguins have defied expectations this season and been competitive in a tightly-packed Eastern Conference.

They have faded slightly after a scorching hot start to the year, but Pittsburgh remains firmly in the running for a playoff spot. They currently hold the second wild card spot in the East by a point over the surging Buffalo Sabres.

The Penguins have been off since a 5-4 overtime win over Columbus on Sunday, and they’re set to kick off a run of three games in four nights against New Jersey at home on Thursday. They’ll then host Calgary on Saturday before making the trip to Boston to take on the Bruins on Sunday.