As usual, Bryan Rust ready for new role with Penguins

As malleable as anyone who has ever dressed for the Penguins, Bryan Rust is dealing with a somewhat new experience during training camp.

He knows his role to open the season.

After a breakout 2019-20 campaign when he led the team with a career-best 27 goals in 55 games, he finds himself entrenched on the right wing of the second line centered by superstar Evgeni Malkin. In addition, Rust is the leading candidate to operate off the left wall of the top power-play unit.

A third-round pick in 2010 who made his NHL debut with the Penguins in 2014-15, Rust has rarely enjoyed anything resembling consistent deployment during his time with the organization.

But even after his success last season, Rust professes he doesn’t feel secure with his current assignment.

“I guess it may seem kind of like it’s set,” Rust said via video conference with media Friday.

“But I try to keep that mindset of that there’s always someone trying to take your spot, always someone trying to fight for that ice time. For me, it definitely gives me a little bit of a boost of confidence knowing that I’m back with (Malkin) and that I’m on the power play. But I can’t really take that for granted. Got to keep working at it. Got to keep working hard. Got to know there’s guys that are in my rearview mirror who want to be in those spots and are going to be playing hard.”

Once upon a time, Rust was one of those guys. Refining his game at the AHL level with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Rust challenged the likes of journeymen such as David Perron or Kevin Porter when he graduated to full-time starting status in 2015-16.

Not coincidentally, that was the same season his boss in Northeast Pennsylvania also got a promotion.

“He’s grown in so many ways,” said Mike Sullivan, who was elevated from the head coach role with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to the same position in Pittsburgh during December 2015.

“His on-ice game has really matured. He’s really turned himself into a real good 200-foot player. The offense that he’s been able to create at this level has been impressive. From a leadership standpoint, he’s a good person. He’s a good pro. He controls everything within his power to give himself the best chance to be successful. He watches what he eats, he makes sure he watches his nutrition, he gets his proper rest, he hydrates, he lives the right way, makes good choices. Because of that, he gives himself the best chance to be successful. Then his work ethic, his willingness when he comes to the rink to put the work in to maximize his potential I think is impressive.

“I give (Rust) so much credit for how far he’s come in the time that we’ve been together when we were first together in Wilkes-Barre to where he is now. He’s turned himself into a real good hockey player.”

Part of Rust’s value is his versatility. Capable of playing either wing, he has provided quality minutes on all four lines in Pittsburgh. And given the unique nature of the 2020-21 season because of the pandemic, a diverse entity such as Rust is bound to be pressed into various roles if teammates are unavailable because of medical concerns.

But for the time being, Rust is content (but not too content) to skate with Malkin as well as Jason Zucker on the left wing. The trio worked together during the Penguins all-too-brief postseason in August, and Rust and Zucker were teammates in the U.S. National Team Development Program many years ago.

“I’m really excited about it,” Rust said. “Obviously, I know what kind of player (Zucker) is. I’ve played with him in the past. We’ve played together in (the 2020 postseason). He’s a guy with a lot of skill who can score some goals. (He) flies up and down the ice but also isn’t afraid to get gritty, play that north-south game. The ability for him and myself to try to use our speed to create space for (Malkin), and Malkin’s going to do what he does best, that’s been meshing pretty well.”

Sullivan is optimistic the combined speed of Rust and Zucker will amplify Malkin’s talents.

“One of the things that we really like about (Rust) is that he has a conscientious 200-foot game on both sides of the puck,” Sullivan said.

“He has the offensive instincts to play with a player like (Malkin) that has elite talent offensively. His foot speed, I think, is a tremendous asset for (Malkin). (Rust) helps that line create turnovers. He puts pressure on our opponent’s defensemen to have to make plays under duress. That usually results in loose pucks and turnover when opportunity presents itself. He has the ability to catch the rush if we turn the puck over or if we get caught in the offensive zone, and he’s conscious defensively. Because of all these things, we think he’s a good complement to (Malkin).”

More than a decade after he was drafted, the 28-year-old Rust, is also ready to take on a more prominent role off the ice for the organization. Having seen the esteemed veterans such as Chris Kunitz, Patric Hornqvist, Matt Cullen and others depart over his tenure, Rust now is one of the most tenured players in the organization.

Only Sidney Crosby (984 games), Malkin (907), Kris Letang (808) and Brian Dumoulin (347) have more service time with the Penguins than Rust (308).

Soft-spoken yet confident, Rust realizes he needs to be a more prominent voice for a slightly younger and more inexperienced roster.

“I’ve been around this organization for quite a long time now,” he said. “I’ve formed some good relationships. So I think going into this year, I can be more of a voice in the locker room and be a bit more of a leader, knowing the system a bit and being older now.

“I’m really excited about this year.”

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