The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed free agent forward Bryan Rust to a four-year contract worth $14 million, or $3.5 million per season AAV. This contract carries him through the 2021-22 season.
The #Pens have re-signed Bryan Rust to a four-year contract.
The deal runs through the 2021.22 campaign, and it carries an average annual value of $3.5 million.
More details: https://t.co/tQn2UPLZ9Q pic.twitter.com/KDtB9aHLaE
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 26, 2018
Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Bryan Rust
Rust has been a key piece in the Pittsburgh Penguins well-oiled machine over his four-year NHL career. He has put up 33 goals and 46 assists for 79 career points in 181 career games. Rust has added 16 goals and five assists for 21 points in 58 career Stanley Cup Playoff Games. He was originally drafted in the third round, 80th overall of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Penguins.
What’s more impressive is his ability to score in must-win situations during the playoffs. To start off the Penguins Stanley Cup run in 2015-2016, he scored twice in elimination games against the New York Rangers. Most notably in Game 7 of the 2015-16 Eastern Conference Final, Rust scored twice to lift the Penguins past the Tampa Bay Lightning.
To only build on his big-game moments, in the 2017 playoffs he scored twice in elimination games against the Columbus Blue Jackets during Round 1 and the Game 7 game-winner against the Washington Capitals in the second round. His goals were a key contributing factor to two Stanley Cup wins with the Penguins.
Last season, he scored 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in 69 games. He also added 26 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 53.3 percent Corsi-for and a relative Corsi of +2.5. Rust scored three goals in 12 playoff games.
What This Means
With Rust under contract, the Penguins keep a versatile forward who can contribute on any of the team’s four lines. He has the offensive ability to keep up and contribute alongside the Penguins stars, as well as the hustle and defensive game to play in the bottom six.
Main Photo:
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 03: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) skates with the puck during the second period. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 3-1 in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals on May 3, 2018, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
