Height\/Weight: 6\u20191\u201d, 212 pounds<\/p>\n
McGroarty is still looking to find solid footing in the NHL despite an extended call-up with the Penguins last winter.<\/p>\n He missed training camp due to an upper-body injury<\/a> and began the season rehabbing before starting out the campaign with Wilkes\/Barre-Scranton.<\/p>\n The winger was called up to the NHL from Dec. 1 to Jan. 3, a span over which he posted three points (two goals, one assist) in 16 games while averaging 12:13 per game with minimal time on special teams.<\/p>\n This first stint in the NHL ended with a concussion diagnosis, after which McGroarty was reassigned to Wilkes\/Barre.<\/p>\n McGroarty played four AHL games after recovering from his concussion. He was called back up to the NHL on Jan. 29 and played another four games with the Penguins before the NHL split for the Olympic break.<\/p>\n He got his third recall of the season once the Penguins had already clinched a playoff spot in late March, scoring his third goal of the season in a regular season finale loss to the St. Louis Blues.<\/p>\n In part due to his usage, McGroarty wasn\u2019t always an impact player in the NHL.<\/p>\n The same couldn\u2019t be said for his work in the AHL last season. McGroarty celebrated his return to the WBS lineup at the beginning of the season by racking up four goals in his first four games back from injury in November.<\/p>\n McGroarty put together a point-per-game AHL campaign before playing a key role in helping Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton on a run to the Eastern Conference Final.<\/p>\n McGroarty told Inside AHL Hockey\u2019s Tony Androckitis<\/a> after the season he saw the 2025-26 campaign as \u201ca year of learning.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201dI think that, being between two teams, kind of having a few different roles helped me a lot mentally\u2026 going through those growing pains of going up and down, playing well here, maybe playing well there and not producing,\u201d McGroarty said in June.<\/p>\n McGroarty is currently signed through next season before he is set to hit restricted free agency ahead of his age-23 campaign in 2027.<\/p>\n Especially in the wake of Ville Koivunen\u2019s eight-year extension<\/a> earlier this offseason, will McGroarty be able to earn himself the increased NHL playing time that could give him a better shot at making an impact with the Penguins?<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-24-at-3.30.54-PM.png\"\/)
<\/a><\/p>\n