Bryan Rust Is In High Demand. But Is Trading Him The Right Call?

It is sure to be an active, interesting offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

They’re drafting 11th overall with rumors swirling about their desire to trade up, GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has mentioned possible activity in the RFA trade-then-sign market, and there have been reports about the Penguins being the only “true sellers” in the league this summer.

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And their hottest commodity happens to be one of their best players.

Right wing Bryan Rust, 33, has three years left on a contract that pays him $5.125 million annually – and his no-movement clause expired this summer. He had a career year for Pittsburgh last season, registering career-highs in goals (31) and points (65) despite missing 11 games due to injury.

Rust has a unique tool set as a player. Known for his work ethic, he is a hybrid power forward and grinder, a menace on the forecheck, and is capabale of being deployed in all situations. He is also a regular penalty-killer, has the hands of a goal-scorer, and can play a hard-nosed game.

There isn’t much that Rust can’t do. But, perhaps, above all, he is a natural-born leader and presence in the locker room, something that he emulates from his captain and good friend, Sidney Crosby.

‘When He Speaks, Everyone Listens’: How Sidney Crosby’s Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of Teammates Following the team’s regular practice on Dec. 16,

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Pittsburgh Penguins‘ captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis.

On Friday, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN 1050 that “plenty of teams” are calling about Rust. It’s no secret that he is wanted by a lot of contending teams, and the Penguins are at a sell-high point with him. He’s on the wrong side of 30, the team is in the midst of a rebuild, and they are still trying to collect as many high-value assets as possible – which is something that Rust can return for them in a trade.

The easy and logical path might be to move Rust if he can get the Penguins a good return. While that might be understandable and justifiable, that doesn’t mean it’s the right move.

In fact, there is a very big reason why Rust should be considered near-immovable barring the perfect deal. And it comes down to the Penguins’ youth movement.

Penguins Facing Big Decision With Star Forward The

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Pittsburgh Penguins will be a team to watch very closely this off-season. After missing the playoffs for the third year in a row, there has naturally been speculation that the Metropolitan Division club will make changes to their roster.

Many may scoff at the idea that veteran presence in the locker room outside of 87 is necessary for the Penguins given the stage they’re in. But, the reality is that Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson were all similar in that they made the NHL roster either immediately or quickly enough that going through several stages of development in professional hockey was not required.

For many young players the Penguins are acquiring – either through the draft or by trade – that will not be the case. The vast majority of them will need to follow a path of development that sees them work their way up through junior or college hockey before moving onto ECHL or AHL hockey, all prior to earning their way onto the NHL roster.

Having Rust around is valuable for that reason. Unlike the aforementioned players, he is someone who has been there. Done that. Experienced that. And for young guys trying to earn spots, he’s a huge presence in that locker room.

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Rust can relate to and connect with this crop of prospects and young players in a way that even Crosby cannot to an extent. Everything Rust has accomplished at the highest level of hockey was earned through his hard work and his grind as an AHL player who turned into a bottom-six grinder and, eventually, into a top-six goal-scorer.

It took years – and a process of development – for Rust to reach his peak potential. Young players can learn a lot from a player like that who has been in their shoes and can help guide them through that process.

‘We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off’: Dubas Clarifies Penguins’ Summer Plans To close out the 2024-25 season,

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Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

The Penguins have other tradeable assets that should net them good returns in Karlsson and Rickard Rakell. They should trade some of these players for valuable pieces that will help them as they move forward and get younger.

But, in a rebuild – especially a rebuild on-the-fly, which is still the goal for the Penguins – you simply cannot trade everyone. A team needs some valuable veterans like Rust around to help usher in that new generation of players who will make an impact in the near future.

If the package is a can’t-refuse offer, of course, the Penguins should consider it. But – barring that “perfect” deal – Rust is one of the few veterans who should stay put in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.

Penguins Trading Star Forward Would Come With Big Risk For much of the 2024-25 season,

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell was the subject of trade speculation. It was understandable, as the Penguins were out of the playoff race, while Rakell enjoyed himself a career year. In 81 games, the 32-year-old winger set new career highs with 35 goals and 70 points.

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