A return for Pittsburgh Penguins top forward prospect Rutger McGroarty might not be too far away. 

McGroarty, who has been out since the beginning of training camp with an undisclosed injury, skated before Monday's practice. Per Pittsburgh Hockey NOW's Shelly Anderson, he was getting a full individual workout in.

McGroarty had two different stints in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. He made the team out ot camp last year, but only played in three games before he was sent down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It was evident that he needed some seasoning in the AHL and it really helped helped his development. 

He finished the AHL season with 14 goals and 39 points in 60 games before he was called up for his second NHL stint at the end of the year. His next five NHL games were completely different than his first three and he showed that he has what it takes to be a full-time NHLer. 

McGroarty notched his first goal on April 3 against the St. Louis Blues and finished the season with a goal and two assists in eight games. 

The next step for him will be to join the team for full practices before the coaching staff and management figure out a plan for him. 

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