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Penguins Forward Suffers Lower-Body Injury
Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson (85) defends Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that forward Bryan Rust will be out for a minimum of two weeks via their

CBS Sports reported that Rust was forced out of team practice early, stemming from the injury. The news comes with the Penguins set to wrap up their preseason schedule against the Buffalo Sabres to close out the week.

This could be an event that sparks the Penguins to re-evaluate final cuts, making space for prospect Benjamin Kindel to perhaps get a taste, while Rust nurses what is hoped to not be anything too serious.

Rust, 33, played 71 games last year, accumulating the best statistical season of his career, amassing 31-34-65. The native of Pontiac, Michigan, has played his entire 11-year career with the Penguins, totalling 203 goals and 234 assists for 437 points in 638 games.

With three years left on his current deal, with a cap hit of $5.125 million, Rust wants to help the Penguins win and silence many who feel the team is best to clean house and start out fresh. That isn't likely to happen with Captain Sidney Crosby leading a group of veterans who are a little grayer in their beards these days.

“For me, I just want to personally continue that winning culture that’s been in Pittsburgh for so long,” Rust told the Athletic. “That good culture, that good character that’s been here, I want that to be passed along year after year so that culture doesn’t slip. To me, that’s important. To me, that’s a big deal.”

The Penguins have failed to qualify for the playoffs since 2022-23 and have been out for the last three seasons. In 2021-22, the last time they qualified, they were ousted in the first round by the Rangers. This is a far cry from the expectations that the team had set for itself by winning three Stanley Cups between 2009 and 2017.

Rust, of course, was a part of the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup-winning squads, establishing himself as a wingman for the captain. Without any clear indication of what the lower-body injury is, it's hard to determine the severity, but having Rust to help the Penguins early in the year will be of high importance for the team.

Perhaps his absence will open up a role for another player to join Crosby on the top line, and upon his return, the moves to bring him back in could spread the offense throughout the lineup.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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