NHL Rumors: Penguins' Top-Six Forward Could Be Dealt

If the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves out of the playoff picture as we inch closer to the trade deadline, there's a very good chance that forward Bryan Rust will be dealt, according to Frank Seravalli.

Rust is in the final year of his contract and currently has a $3.5 million cap hit. It's also been reported that extension talks with the 29-year-old winger have gone quiet. Given the fact that he's blossomed into legitimate top-six winger, he is certainly due for a raise and the Penguins may not be willing to give him it.

This season has been a bit of a rough one for Rust, as he's been dealing with injuries. However, he still has done well when on the ice, as he has two goals and nine points in 12 games. His best season came during the 2019-20 campaign, though, as he had 27 goals and 56 points in 55 games. Teams don't forget that kind of production and would absolutely be interested in him if he's made officially available.

At this time, the Penguins sport a 10-8-5 record. With this, they are fourth in the Metropolitan Division, but are also behind the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes by six points. They also have played two more games than each of them. Thus, they need to start winning more frequently and avoid losing streaks.

We'll have to see how the season progresses for the Penguins, but if they fall off, don't be surprised to see them sell players like Rust.