Bryan Rust (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust rose from being a role player initially in the NHL to being one of the team’s top players. However, that did not translate to him making Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics next month in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
The American squad was announced Friday morning. Rust was not one of the 14 forwards.
Rust, 33, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins. He has 15 goals, 33 points in 37 games this season, playing primarily on the Penguins’ top line with Sidney Crosby. He has topped 20 goals the past six seasons, and had a career-high 31 last season. He’s on pace to top that this season.
He’s versatile, playing on the Penguins’ top power play as well as killing penalties.
Rust was one of 44 players invited to the Team USA Olympic orientation camp Aug. 26- 27 in Plymouth, Mich., after he was not chosen to play for the Americans at the 4 Nations Face-Off last year.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, a former Penguins executive, is the Team USA GM, and former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan will be behind the bench for the Americans at the Games. Both certainly are heavily familiar with Rust.
Two of the forwards who did make the Team USA roster have Pittsburgh area roots — J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck.
The full Team USA roster:
Forwards — Matt Boldy of Minnesota, Kyle Connor of Winnipeg; Jack Eichel of Vegas; Jake Guentzel of Tampa Bay; Jack Hughes of New Jersey; Clayton Keller of Utah; Dylan Larkin of Detroit; Auston Matthews of Toronto; J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers; Brock Nelson of Colorado; Tage Thompson of Buffalo; Brady Tkachuk of Ottawa; Matthew Tkachuk of Florida; Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers.
Defenseman — Brock Faber of Minnesota; Noah Hanifin of Vegas; Quinn Hughes of Minnesota; Seth Jones of Florida; Charlie McAvoy of Boston; Jake Sanderson of Ottawa; Jaccob Slavin of Carolina; Zach Werenski of Columbus.
Goaltenders — Connor Hellebuyck of Winnipeg; Jake Oettinger of Dallas; Jeremy Swayman of
Tags: 2026 Olympics Bryan Rust Pittsburgh Penguins Shelly Anderson
Categorized: Olympics