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The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with forward Bryan Rust on a six-year, $30.75 million dollar contract extension, it was announced today by general manager Ron Hextall.

The deal begins in the 2022-23 season and runs through the 2027-28 campaign and carries an average annual value of $5.125 million.
"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."
The two-time Stanley Cup Champion (2016, '17) is coming off of a career year in 2021-22, as he recorded a career-best 58 points (24G-34A) in 60 games. His 34 assists, nine power-play goals and 21 power-play points were also career highs. Rust was named the NHL's Third Star of the Month in January 2022, when he tallied 10 goals, 11 assists and 21 points in 11 games, leading the league with a 1.91 points-per-game average (min. 2 GP).
Rust, 30, was crucial to the Penguins' back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2016 and 2017. In 2016, he became the second rookie in NHL history to record multiple goals in two series-clinching wins (Round One vs. NYR and Eastern Conference Final vs. TBL). He also is one of four players in NHL history to have each of his first three career playoff game-winning goals decide a series (2016 Eastern Conference Final, Game 7 vs. Tampa Bay; 2017 Round One, Game 5 vs. Columbus; 2017 Round Two, Game 7 vs. Washington). In total, Rust has tallied 21 goals and 35 points (21G-14A) in 79 career playoff games.
The 5-foot-11, 192-pound winger has spent the entirety of his eight professional seasons with Pittsburgh, where he's accumulated 124 goals, 146 assists, 270 points and 20 game-winning goals in 424 regular-season games. Since making his NHL debut on December 13, 2014, only Sidney Crosby (234), Evgeni Malkin (189) and Jake Guentzel (161) have scored more goals for Pittsburgh than Rust.
The Pontiac, Michigan native has been one of Pittsburgh's most consistent players over the last three seasons. Since 2019-20, Rust has recorded 156 points (73G-83A) in 171 games. His 156 points and 0.91 points-per-game average in that span are fourth-best on the Penguins. Rust and Guentzel are the only players on the team to net 20-plus goals in each of the last three seasons.
Rust was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round (80th overall) in the 2010 NHL Draft. Prior to his time with the Penguins, he was a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2008-10, and played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Notre Dame from 2010-14.