The Canucks have been rumored to have interest in top-six forward of the Penguins, Bryan Rust, and new rumors reveal he could be made available this offseason.
It's going to be a busy summer in the NHL, with many big fish potentially switching addresses. Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Nikolaj Ehlers all could become free agents on July 1.
The Vancouver Canucks will probably be shopping, with GM Patrik Allvin and president Jim Rutherford seeking forward additions, namely, a second-line center and a top-six winger, particularly if Brock Boeser leaves, as most anticipate.
The other intriguing name bandied about in the rumor mill and rumored to be of interest to Vancouver is two-time Stanley Cup winner Bryan Rust.
As The Athletic's Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance have pointed out, Rust could be available when his no-movement clause expires on July 1. The salary-dump-happy Pittsburgh Penguins appear willing to deal.
'Rust's no-movement clause will expire on July 1, and the rebuilding Penguins could look to cash in on the veteran winger's value.' Dayal and Drance said.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports that serious trade interest in Rust has already been registered from teams, and that could include the Canucks.
'Pierre LeBrun: Plenty of teams are calling on Penguins forward Bryan Rust.'
The 33-year-old winger, a third-round draft pick, has spent his entire nine-year NHL career with the Penguins and just finished his best season to date: 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games. Rust has three seasons remaining on a deal with a $5.125 million cap charge.
At his production level and playoff experience, he's seen as the type who will fit well into a middle-six role for teams looking to make a playoff push, making him a player to track this offseason.
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In an effort to extend his NHL career, veteran winger Conor Sheary has agreed to a professional tryout (PTO) with the New York Rangers, per the NY Post’s Mollie Walker. Sheary has played in 593 games throughout his 10-year career, posting 124 goals and 267 points. He has also shown an ability to elevate his game in big moments during the playoffs, as evidenced by his contributions to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup wins early in his career, when he often played a key role alongside Sidney Crosby. Notably, some of his best professional seasons came in Pittsburgh under head coach Mike Sullivan. After signing a five-year deal in May to lead the Rangers, Sullivan is bringing in a familiar face as he looks to implement a new game plan in New York. However, Sheary has struggled in recent years. After producing just 15 points in 57 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2023-24 season—his lowest output since his rookie year—he dressed in only five games last season with the team. He spent the majority of his year with Tampa’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, where he produced 20 goals and 61 points in 59 games. Sheary, 33, will now look to rejuvenate his career with the Rangers, a team in the midst of transition. Beyond the obvious changes that come with a new head coach, the team has also seen longtime staples Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller depart, while adding forward Taylor Raddysh and prospect Carey Terrance. While PTOs are anything but guaranteed, Sheary’s history of producing quality offense, combined with his relationship with Sullivan, should give him a strong chance to make the opening night roster.
What was a third-place effort for Stewart Friesen in Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park turned out to be all for naught. Friesen's No. 52 Toyota was disqualified in post-race inspection for failing front height measurement, relegating him to a last-place (35th) finish. The stage points he earned were also stripped. Friesen qualified 21st, but drove into the top five and was running second in the closing laps before he was passed by Corey Day. Friesen's team, Halmar Friesen Racing, issued a statement following the announcement. "The Halmer Friesen Racing team will be going to the NASCAR Appellate Board after our third-place disqualification in the TSport 200 race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25," the team said. "We believe the post-race heights disqualification was caused by a part malfunction that occurred during the race by circumstances out of our control." The DQ drops Friesen to 11th in the regular season standings, but the 42-year-old driver is already locked into the Craftsman Truck Series playoffs by his win at Michigan International Speedway on June 7. Layne Riggs won Friday's race at IRP. The Truck Series will return to action at Watkins Glen on Aug. 8.
Jonathan Kuminga wants to leave the Golden State Warriors and likes the idea of playing for the Sacramento Kings or Phoenix Suns, an NBA source told Hoops Wire on Saturday. The Suns and Kings are interested in Kuminga, but neither franchise has extended an offer sheet to the talented forward, the NBA source said. As a restricted free agent, Kuminga can either re-sign with the Warriors on a new deal, play next season with Golden State on a qualifying offer worth $7.9 million and enter unrestricted free agency next offseason or sign an offer sheet with a rival team. If Kuminga signs an offer sheet with a team, the Warriors can either match the offer sheet or let the 22-year-old swingman leave and execute a sign-and-trade deal. “We’re trying to be responsible. With the aprons and hard caps and all of that, you can’t just throw money around. We still love Jonathan. We’re hopeful we can figure out a way to strike a balance that works for him and for us. But we’re not going to compromise our roster-building ability now, or in the future. We have to be responsible in the way we build our team,” a Warriors front office executive told NBA reporter Keith Smith of Spotrac. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the Warriors last season in 47 games. He shot 45.4% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 66.8% from the free-throw line. Kuminga has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists with the Warriors. He was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft. More NBA News Rumors
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
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