Report: Penguins Considering Stunning Trade, Making Surprising Player Available

The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to get younger. This, we all know by now. They are "open for business" on the trade market to try to accomplish that. This, we also know.

But what you might be surprised to know, is that GM Kyle Dubas has made every Penguins prospect available—including their No. 1 prospect Rutger McGroarty, who they just acquired this past summer. But that would likely be only for one specific trade that they are currently trying to work on.

Rob Rossi reports in The Athletic that Dubas "simply loves" the Columbus Blue Jackets newest trade candidate David Jiricek, and that he has offered McGroarty as trade bait in his attempt to try to land the 6'4", 200-pound defenseman.

"It's my understanding," said Rossi, "that they told (Columbus GM) Don Waddell 'you can have any prospect you want', including McGoarty."

In fact, Dubas was on hand for Jiricek's AHL debut for the Cleveland Monsters on the weekend, and witnessed his terrific two-point, +3 rating performance, which included the game-winner in overtime:

All this is not to say that Dubas has soured on McGroarty, says Rossi, though the former first-rounder is off to a disappointing start in his first AHL season, with just one goal and three points in 12 games with a minus-5 rating. He started the season with three games with the Penguins.

McGroarty, 20, finished his NCAA career last spring after a tremendous season in which he posted 52 points in 36 games. Concerned, however, with the Winnipeg Jets' plans for him (the team that selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft), he requested a trade, and the Penguins jumped on it, sending their own previous top prospect Brayden Yager in return.

The Blue Jackets are mulling a number of offers, so there's no telling if a trade involving McGroarty and Jiricek could actually happen, but it would be a stunning development if it came to fruition. Though as Rossi added, the Blue Jackets would probably be more interested in the Penguins' No. 1 pick in next year's draft, which should be a pretty high level selection.