Sources: 2 Teams Have Interest in Penguins’ Bryan Rust

The Pittsburgh Penguins made some moves at the deadline last week, but nothing that will really move the needle for them going forward. They held onto a few players who would have had some interest to other clubs if the Pens were ready to move on from them.

One who would have gotten Pittsburgh a huge return is 32-year-old first-line forward Bryan Rust. He still has three years to run on his $5.125 million AAV deal, but his no-move protection comes to an end on July 1st.

Insider Josh Yohe writes in The Athletic that his sources tell him that teams will be calling GM Kyle Dubas to try and get their hands on Rust, now that he'll be eligible to be moved, and notes two clubs with interest.

Teams are going to call Dubas in a hurry when July 1 arrives. Why? That’s when Bryan Rust’s no-movement clause expires.
A Penguins source has indicated Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings are fans of Rust, which makes sense for their needs.

Both the Blue Jackets and Red Wings are young teams on the rise, and Rust would be a wonderful addition as a leader and mentor for them.

One major impediment, however, to any trade of Rust, is that Dubas sees him in the exact same way. As Yohe writes, "The Penguins love the idea of youngsters learning from the likes of Rust, Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell...

"(Dubas) likes the idea of Rust’s impact on younger players, he likes his contract and he likes that he gives Crosby a reliable winger. More than anything, Dubas thinks Rust has a chance to still be very good when the Penguins are ready to compete again".

Rust has 21 goals and 47 points in 56 games, right in line with where his numbers wound up last season as well.