Last off-season, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust was one of the NHL's most-talked-about trade candidates. However, the trade rumors surrounding Rust slowed down during the 2025-26 season because of how well the Penguins played. While this was the case, Rust is finding himself right back in the rumor mill now that the off-season is here. The Athletic's Chris Johnston included Rust on his latest NHL trade board [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7369670/2026/06/18/nhl-offseason-trade-board-trocheck-knies-nichushkin/], giving the Penguins forward the No. 21 spot. With the Penguins being a team focused on the future, it would be understandable if they decided to deal Rust this off-season. It is clear that he has plenty of trade value as an impactful top-six winger, and this is especially so when noting that this year's pending UFA wingers are not very strong. However, trading Rust would certainly create a big hole in the Penguins' lineup. This is because the 34-year-old winger is still one of Pittsburgh's most impactful forwards. This was made clear by his 29 goals and 65 points in 72 games this season with Pittsburgh. He also had 31 goals and 65 points in 71 games for Pittsburgh in 2024-25. It is going to be interesting to see what the Penguins decide to do with Rust this summer. With Rust being signed through 2027-28 season, the Penguins do not need to rush a move by any means. However, they also could very well move him while his trade value is high.
