As the deadline to submit opening-night rosters approached on Monday, Rutger McGroarty’s family anxiously awaited word about his future.
“We were just on pins and needles all day on Monday,” his mom Cindy said. “We were in the living room, and the house is spotless because of just all that nervous energy buzzing around.”
“You just never know what situation he’s going to be in. But at the end of the day, he was so excited,” his dad Jimmy added. “You could tell in his energy because, you know, we recognize how he is. When he called, it was just so exciting and overwhelming, and honestly, surreal for us.”
After Rutger spoke to his parents and girlfriend Kayleigh, he called his older sister Molly, who’s in nursing school. She had clinicals scheduled in the ICU, but had her phone in her pocket. Molly warned the nurse she was working with that she would be getting a call with either good news or bad news at any moment, and would have to take it.
When Rutger’s name came on the screen, she quickly answered, and “I could tell by his voice what he was about to say,” Molly said. “So it was pretty exciting, all full of happiness and energy.”
During that time, Cindy had called her father Roger – Rutger’s namesake – to share the news. “He’s 85 years old, navigating social media to try and find out before we could call him,” she said with a laugh. They then got the travel situated for the group making the trip to Pittsburgh. His immediate family drove in from Michigan, where Jimmy works as GM of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. The extended family members flying in from Nebraska, where Rutger spent the first part of his childhood.
“On Monday with that nervous energy, we were going through the list of people that have been a part of this journey, and the lists go on and on and on,” Cindy said. “We couldn't be more grateful for everyone that has been a part of the journey. So, that was probably the most profound of the week, is just kind of going through everyone that has been along for the ride.”
The group of 13 people who attended in person took their seats and watched as Rutger did his rookie lap during warmups. The situation sunk in for Jimmy before his son even hit the ice for the first time.
“It takes a village to make this thing happen,” he said. “Kids have dreams in life, and this was Rutger’s dream, and we helped him try to get to where he wanted to be. Today it came to fruition. I think finally hit me during the national anthem. You know, they're the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Just seeing Sidney Crosby, Malkin, Letang and all those guys all on the ice, I just think it finally soaks in. All the hard work that Rutger has put in, it's really great to see what he has done, and we're so excited and proud of him.”
His success didn’t come without sacrifices. Jimmy, a former professional player himself, moved with a 10-year-old Rutger from Nebraska to Michigan to further his hockey career while Cindy and Molly stayed behind in Nebraska. Cindy’s mother, who would’ve been 84 tomorrow, was sick.
“So, we lived a very unconventional life for six years,” Cindy said, “when we finally all moved together again under the same roof. It was amazing to all be together again. It was amazing.”
Rutger is close with his family, and spent much of the summer just cherishing their time together before starting the next phase of his career: a full-time professional hockey player. His No. 1 fans wouldn’t have missed the first step on that journey for the world. “It's kind of a ‘pinch me’ moment to be here right now tonight,” Cindy said.
And having them here meant the world to Rutger.
“They travel all the time, all over the world to watch me. If it's Sweden, Pittsburgh, wherever it is, they've always traveled to watch me play,” he said. “So I'm really grateful for them. And I wouldn't be here without them. Every person here tonight, every person that came and watched tonight had a big impact on my life and hockey career. So, I'm grateful that they got to be here.”
