The Pittsburgh Penguins locked in one of their top impending free agents, agreeing to terms with forward Bryan Rust on a $30.75 million deal that keeps him in Pittsburgh for the next six years, general manager Ron Hextall announced Saturday.

“Bryan exemplifies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin,” said Hextall. “Since being drafted by Pittsburgh, he has developed into a versatile player and leader on our team, capable of contributing in any situation. His leadership qualities and experience as a two-time Stanley Cup champion is an important piece of our team.”

Rust was drafted by the Penguins in 2010 and has played his entire professional career with the team, including acting as a key player during the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 2016 and 2017.

The contract extension comes after Rust finished up a career season, notching 24 goals and a career-high 34 assists in 60 games. The 30-year-old Pontiac, Michigan, native also had career highs this past season with nine power-play goals and 21 power-play points.

Consistency has been key for Rust, especially over the past three seasons during which Rust has recorded 156 points in 171 games, good for a 0.91 points-per-game average that is fourth-best on the Penguins since 2019-2020.

–Field Level Media