The Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly a team to keep an eye on this summer. It is no secret that they are open to making changes, and multiple players from their roster have been discussed as trade candidates.
During a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared that there is a lot of interest in Penguins star Bryan Rust, especially.
"You know, Rust has a lot of loyalty to the Penguins," Friedman said. "I've heard there's a ton of interest in him. Again, it's up to, does Dubas get his price?"
It is not hard to understand why there is plenty of interest in Rust right now. With all of the big-name unrestricted free agents (UFAs) off the board, teams in need of another top-six winger should have a player like Rust on their radar. This is because the 33-year-old has been an impactful player throughout his career, and that certainly remained the case this past season.
In 71 games for the Penguins in 2024-25, Rust set new career highs with 31 goals and 65 points. With this, his trade value is undoubtedly higher right now, so the Penguins should expect a lot for him in any potential trade. This is especially so when noting that he carries an affordable $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season.
It will be very interesting to see what happens between the Penguins and Rust from here, but based on Friedman's report, there are plenty of teams interested.
Canucks Star Would Have Been Huge Addition For Penguins
With the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> retooling, there has been plenty of chatter about them potentially selling off notable pieces of their roster. However, based on a recent report, they were also open to making a significant addition to their group in free agency.
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