CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, set to become unrestricted free agents July 13, told reporters that they are interested in re-signing with the Penguins at their end-of-season media availability Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
"First of all, I’d love to return to the team," Rust said. "I obviously love it here. Pittsburgh’s a place that I’ve been for a while, and it’s a place that I’ve had a lot of memories. Started my family here and all that stuff, so this place holds a special place in my heart and I’d obviously like to make something work to come back here."
Rust is coming off the best, or second best, depending on how you look at it, season of his career. He produced a career-high 58 points in 60 games, 24 of which were goals.
Although Rust would love to stay with the Penguins, he said he's got to do what's best for his family.
"My family’s No. 1," he said. "Now that it’s not just me and my wife, we have a child now, I think that’s No. 1 for me."
When asked whether contract term or length would be more important on his next deal, Rust responded: "Obviously all those things are nice. You’d like to maximize everything. I think for me, it’s just getting to a point where I feel like I’ve got what I’ve earned and what I’m worth. I feel like I’ve played to a higher level than what my contract said the last few years, and I think moving forward, just getting something that’s fair and can benefit me and my family moving forward."
Since the beginning of Rust's contract in the 2018-19 season, he made $3.5 million per year despite putting up points at the 78th highest rate among all NHL players during that time. Take the past three seasons and he checks in at 52nd across the NHL. Further to that point, Rust has been a reliable power-play threat, as well. Only 45 NHL players have put up points at a higher rate than him on the power play over the past three seasons.
"There haven't been real amplified talks yet," Rust said on the status of negotiations. "But we'll see where that goes in the coming weeks."
Rust understands that two franchise legends in Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang need new deals in addition to him. He said the three of them have not discussed keeping the group together, even if that's what he ultimately wants to happen.
"Those guys have their own things to worry about, they've got their own priorities and families and such," Rust said of Malkin and Letang. "They’re at a little bit different points in their career with their past contracts and stuff versus my past contracts and stuff, so it’s a little bit different. I just try and think about myself and what’s good for my family."
Would Rust potentially take a lesser deal than he might get on the open market to stay with the Penguins?
"Yeah, absolutely. I’m not looking to rob anyone. Like I said, I just want what I deem is fair and a reasonable contract. I think and I hope, I’d like to think something’s gonna get worked out here."
As for Rakell, he said staying with the Penguins could be an opportunity for his game to flourish.
"It was a great experience for me," Rakell said of the several months he spent with the Penguins. "I’ve learned a lot from a lot of great players, coaches here. I feel like this team has a lot of potential and this is definitely a place I would like to come back to, and where I think that I can take my game to the next level as well."
Rakell, the Penguins' main trade deadline acquisition in March, scored 4 goals and totaled 13 points in 19 regular season games with the club.
Most intriguing about Rakell's performance with the Penguins is that he showed some serious chemistry playing with Sidney Crosby. In a little more than 100 minutes together at even-strength, the Penguins outscored the opposition 12-1, out-chanced the opposition 81-40 and took 58.6% of the shot attempts with Crosby and Rakell on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Rakell, like Rust, realizes the Penguins have bigger fish to fry before worrying about him. He is going to let things play out, but reiterated his interest in the Penguins being the team to ink him to his next deal.
"I know this organization has a lot of free agents to take care of. I’m just gonna see what happens. I haven’t put that much thought into it yet, but I’m sure I’m gonna take some time to think about it, but like I said earlier, this is definitely a place and a team that I would really want to come back to."
In the meantime, Rakell is excited to get back to Anaheim to see his pregnant wife.
"I’m really excited about that," Rakell told me when I asked how he's feeling about becoming a father. "We still have a little bit over a month to go (until the due date), probably. I haven’t seen my wife in a long time, so I do look forward to seeing her as well."
