New Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty will be pressured to meet high expectations, but he could be a team leader in the club's next era, says Adam Proteau.

Up-and-coming winger Rutger McGroarty will be pressured to produce as an NHL rookie after joining the Pittsburgh Penguins.

There's pressure to show he made the right choice not to sign with the Winnipeg Jets, and there's the expectation he will meet his potential as a first-round pick on a team that needs younger players.

But one reason the Penguins acquired McGroarty from the Jets on Aug. 22 was his leadership qualities.

"He possesses the combination of ability, leadership and competitiveness that the Penguins need to achieve our goals in the short and long run," Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said in a news release after trading for McGroarty.

While it may take McGroarty a couple of seasons to grow into the leader he’s shown himself to be at crucial points in his career thus far, Dubas and coach Mike Sullivan are counting on him to find his footing as a key component of the Penguins’ puzzle.

One of the challenges McGroarty faces right away is the Penguins' win-now mode. McGroarty is just 20 years old and entering a competitive situation in which wins are paramount. Individual growth is a distant second for Pens youngsters. 

As per The Hockey News' Lineups site, McGroarty is projected as Pittsburgh’s third-line left winger. That could change relatively quickly if McGroarty earns a top-six forward role. He’ll be helped greatly by playing alongside Pens stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, so McGroarty’s rookie NHL season is likely to be a successful one.

That said, McGroarty’s leadership skills may not come to the forefront of Penguins' business right away. 

Those leadership skills are already on display, as he captained Team USA at the 2022 World Men's Under-18 Championship and the 2024 World Junior Championship. In the latter, McGroarty led the Americans to a gold medal, proving he does have what it takes to lead teams to a championship.

With Crosby on board as the ultimate team-first player, McGroarty will have the best possible example to follow as he adjusts to hockey’s top league. That will allow McGroarty to develop, slowly but surely, into an influence in the Penguins’ post-Crosby era. McGroarty will be pushed to excel by the veterans around him, but he doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting right away, and he can develop his game at his own pace.

Not every leader at the minor league or grassroots levels can become an NHL leader. It takes a mixture of skill and determination to be a difference-maker on and off the ice, and McGroarty will have ample opportunity to mature into a core component for Pittsburgh two or three years from now.

At the moment, though, all McGroarty has to do is build upon his experience and carve out a meaningful spot on the Penguins. If he’s interested in leading by example, he can do that by doing what’s asked of him by Sullivan and earning more opportunities down the line. 

If McGroarty does rise to the occasion, he’ll quickly establish himself as a leader for the Penguins for the next decade and longer.

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.