Penguins Lose Bryan Rust After Injury
The Pittsburgh Penguins are likely to go without Bryan Rust to kick off their road trip.
PITTSBURGH – It seems more likely that the Pittsburgh Penguins will be moving forward without another key forward. Bryan Rust was an early exit against the Philadelphia Flyers, and head coach Mike Sullivan stated he was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
The following day, as the Penguins took the ice for a practice in Vancouver, Rust was absent. Reilly Smith was bumped to the first line alongside Sidney Crosby in replacement.
Smith had been spending time on the third line thanks to some tough play this season, but was acquired thanks to his flexibility to play anywhere in the lineup. Jesse Puljujarvi seems to be slotting back in on the third line if Rust is unable to play.
According to Sullivan, while the Penguins are in Western Canada for a road trip, Rust stuck back in Pittsburgh to continue being evaluated. It's not certain he will join the Penguins.
The Penguins are already playing without Jake Guentzel, and now that Rust is missing, it could put a significant bruise on their playoff chances. Rust was in the midst of a great run and had already posted a pair of goals and an assist against the Flyers.
Including his game against the Flyers, Rust had put up seven goals and four assists for 11 points in his last 11 games.
The Penguins are gearing up for a four-game road trip between three cities in Canada plus Seattle.
On the year, Rust has picked up 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 42 total games, a big bounce back from a rocky 2022-23 season. If the Penguins hope to reach the postseason, they’ll need to hope that Rust can return as soon as possible.
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