A prospect of Winnipeg Jets in Kent Hughes' sights

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Carl Vaillancourt
June 29, 2024 (10:02 PM)

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Rumors about the Winnipeg Jets' American prospect Rutger McGroarty have been fueling gossip sites since he expressed his desire to pursue his NHL career elsewhere than Winnipeg. General Manager Kent Hughes is reportedly very interested in the young talented forward.

Although everything indicates that McGroarty's time in Winnipeg is limited, he was not traded during the first round of the playoffs, nor on the second day.

Rutger McGroarty traded to the Canadiens? It could happen as soon as today!

According to journalist Chris Johnston, McGroarty was very close to joining the Montreal Canadiens organization on Friday night. The selection of Demidov somewhat changed the situation in the short term, but there is no indication that discussions won't continue on Saturday and Sunday.

During his press conference after the first round of the draft held in Las Vegas, Kent Hughes confirmed ongoing negotiations to finalize a trade. If an agreement wasn't reached with a handshake, it means there's still work to be done to satisfy both parties. One thing is certain: Kent Hughes wants to continue improving his team.

Were Kent Hughes' preliminaries about Rutger McGroarty?

Is his counterpart, Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, being too demanding in his requests to Kent Hughes? Now that the Canadiens have selected Ivan Demidov at 5th overall and Michael Hage at 21st, the trade chips might be less attractive in the short term. The Canadiens will have two first-round picks in 2025 unless exceptional conditions arise, meaning the Flames or Panthers' first-round pick would be transferred to 2026. This suggests the Jets might be tempted by established players or future picks, even for next year.

Habs et LNH - Trade between the Canadiens and the Jets? Last-minute development

In his second season in the NCAA, the dynamic 20-year-old forward amassed 52 points, including 16 goals, in 36 games. He also showcased his talent on the international stage this winter at the Under-20 World Junior Hockey Championship, where he scored no less than nine points in seven games with the American team.

With the recent additions of Yvan Demidov and Michael Hage, seeing McGroarty pack his bags for Montreal could be another chapter completed by Kent Hughes in the rebuilding phase.

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