Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is one of the NHL's top trade candidates right now. With the Penguins retooling, the 33-year-old winger would have the potential to land them a significant return if they decided to trade him.

Rust just set new career highs with 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games this past season, so he has raised his trade value. Furthermore, his contract is very good, as he has a reasonable $5.125 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. Thus, he could be a good fit for both playoff and non-playoff teams.

Now, a few clubs are being connected to Rust. According to The Fourth Period, the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Columbus Blue Jackets are among the teams linked to Rust.

After trading JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth this off-season, there is no question that the Sabres could use another top-six winger to replace him. Thus, the Sabres reportedly being interested in Rust is very easy to understand. He would give their top six and power play a significant boost if acquired. He also does not have any trade protection, so he makes a lot of sense as a target for Buffalo.

With the Maple Leafs losing Mitch Marner this summer, adding another top-six right winger should be one of their top objectives moving forward. While Rust would not produce the same kind of offense as a superstar like Marner, he would still improve Toronto's forward group and be one of their key point producers if acquired.

As for the Blue Jackets, they are also in a position to make a move for a player like Rust. They have a ton of cap space to work with and could use another top-six forward, so they would be a good fit for Rust. They also have plenty of potential trade assets that could be appealing to the Penguins.

NHL Rumors: 2 Under-The-Radar Penguins Trade Candidates The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> are the most popular team in the rumor mill right now. It is understandable, as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are currently considered three of the top trade candidates in the league.

NHL Trade Rumors: Penguins' Bryan Rust Linked To 3 Teams