Bryan Rust said during Tuesday's locker room cleanout day that he "wasn't looking to rob anyone" in negotiations for his new contract for next season.
"I just want what I deem is a fair and reasonable contract and I'd like to think something's going to get worked out here," he said.
He didn't have to wait long for that to happen.
The Penguins and Rust agreed on Saturday to a six-year contract worth $30.75 million, Ron Hextall announced. The deal runs through the 2027-28 season and carries an average annual value of $5.125 million
"Bryan exemplifies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin," Hextall said in a team release. "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, 30, will be 36 years old when his contract expires.
Rust said Tuesday that he would "absolutely" take a hometown discount to stay in Pittsburgh, saying it's a city that "holds a special place in my heart."
He seems to have done just that.
The website Evolving Hockey projects likely contract terms for free agents based on comparable players, and it does so with a fair degree of accuracy. The website projected the most likely deal for Rust as a five-year deal worth $7.661 million per year, with the next most likely scenario being a six-year deal worth $7.751 million.
Rust, coming off a season in which he scored just shy of a point-per-game with 24 goals and 34 assists in 60 games, surely could have attracted offers in that ballpark had he tested the open market. Instead, he took just a $1.625 million raise off of his previous annual salary of $3.5 million in order to stay in Pittsburgh.
With the Rust extension finalized, the Penguins now have eight forwards, six defensemen and one goaltender under contract for next season at a $56,625,175 total cap hit. Adding in the $1.917 million of dead cap space from Jack Johnson's buyout, the Penguins now have $23,958,158 in cap space for next season. With that space they must at least add four more forwards and one backup goaltender for the NHL roster.
Rust was one of the Penguins' three big unrestricted free agents this offseason, along with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Rust taking a hometown discount to remain in Pittsburgh might go a long way toward helping the Penguins keep Malkin and Letang around as well.
