Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, second from right, celebrates an overtime goal by right wing Bryan Rust as Los Angeles Kings goaltender Pheonix Copley, left, and center Phillip Danault stand in goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“If they need a shot blocking fourth line winger, I still got it in me,” Bryan Rust joked with Pittsburgh Hockey Now last December when we asked if he would like to play for Team USA in the Four Nations tournament.
Later this month, Team USA, led by general manager Bill Guerin, will gather for an orientation camp in Michigan. There’s one player who deserves a lot more consideration.
Rust, who is now 33 years old, began his career in the corner battles and penalty killing role of a fourth liner. He fought his way to the NHL after being a third-round pick and kept scrapping and contributing offense. More and more offense. And finally, Rust has become a mainstay among the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top-six forwards.
Last season was his crescendo, as he scored 31 goals with 65 points.
Big game experience? Yep, two Stanley Cup rings. A willingness to do anything to help the team? Double check. Speed, hands, grit, and knowing how to play with talented players while maintaining defensive responsibility? That, too.
Bluntly, Team USA needs more players like the Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, to beat Canada. Rust is that guy and should receive a lot more consideration, if not outright be invited to join Team USA for the 2026 Olympics.
Chris Kreider, 34, isn’t quite that type of player and had just 30 points last season with the New York Rangers, but was part of the Four Nations tournament. Team USA also included center depth with Brock Nelson, who played on the fourth line wing. New Jersey Devils top center Jack Hughes also played on the wing.
This was the forwards lineup when the US began the Four Nations:
J.T. Miller — Jack Eichel — Matthew Tkachuk
Kyle Connor — Auston Matthews — Jack Hughes
Jake Guentzel — Dylan Larkin– Brady Tkachuk
Brock Nelson — Vincent Trocheck — Matt Boldy
Chris Kreider
With full respect to Nelson, perhaps Rust would have been much better suited to that fourth-line role. In fact, Team USA is lacking a few more blood and guts players who are not only willing to block that shot in the final minutes or kill a second-period penalty, but also find joy in it.
That’s Rust, who also put up much better offensive totals over the last couple of seasons than Kreider, and more offense than Nelson, too.
No, Rust has not availed himself to the Team USA World Championships roster over the last few years, but for good reason. Last summer, his wife was expecting a baby. Most other summers, he needs more than a few minutes to let the injuries heal. It is that accumulation of injuries suffered not through pretty play but by doing the ugly stuff necessary for his team that should vault Rust to the top of the list for new inclusions.
No one knows this more than Team USA coach, and former Pittsburgh Penguins bench boss, Mike Sullivan. If there should be a supporter of Rust, it should be Sullivan.
Rust may also have some experience playing on the opposite wing of Jake Guentzel, too.
Sure, there are other talented USA players. More and more, actually. Pittsburgh-native Logan Cooley could and should get an Olympic spot, too. However, Canada is coming for a hockey war in the Olympics. No one will forget the opening moments of the Round Robin in the Four Nations tourney when the USA dropped the gloves against the Canadians and made it old-time hockey.
There’s a good chance tough players such as Tom Wilson, who was excluded from the Canadian Four Nations roster, will be included this February. Canada does not like to be physically beaten. It goes to the core of their national sport, and the USA taking it from them, even for a game, was not acceptable.
After all, Canada honors Bobby Clarke for helping Team Canada win the 1972 Summit Series against the Russians by breaking Russian star Valerie Kharlamov’s ankle with a two-handed slash.
Losing a few fights to Team USA is reason enough for Canada to beef up, and expect them to do just that.
Another important point to remember for the 2026 Olympics: The games will be played on NHL-sized ice, not Olympic-sized rinks, which only further enhances the need for gritty wingers.
There needs to be even more grit and determination in Red, White, and Blue. Silver won’t be good enough.
“We have to win,” Guerin told NHL.com last week. “We have to win another one of these. It’s been since 1996. We just have to find a way.”
There needs to be a few guys who know their role is not to play top-line minutes beside Auston Matthews or Jack Eichel. Sure, Jack Hughes could use a netfront scrapper and a puck retriever. Sure, Dylan Larkin could use some sandpaper on his line, too.
The way to keep up with Canada is to be as tough as Canada without sacrificing offense.
Hey Billy G, that’s Bryan Rust.
Tags: Bill Guerin Bryan Rust Pittsburgh Penguins Team USA
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