PuckSleuth
17Cap hit
$5.125M
4.9% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$4.32M
vs. $9.445M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
72
Goals
29
15.8% shooting
Assists
36
20 primary
Points
65
0.90 per game
TOI/GP
19:57
PP 3:21 · PK 1:36
xGF%
46.4
5v5, -2.6 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.92
per game
Faceoff %
—
2 W · 13 L
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 71 · Hits 35
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29 @ PHI · OTL 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 22:17 | 2:28 | 1:27 | 1-0 | 100 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.49 |
| Apr 27 vs PHI · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 20:37 | 3:14 | 2:10 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.23 |
| Apr 25 @ PHI · W 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 19:19 | 2:10 | 2:49 | — | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.21 |
| Apr 22 @ PHI · L 5-2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 20:25 | 5:52 | 0:53 | — | 86 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.62 |
| Apr 20 vs PHI · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20:48 | 4:49 | 1:23 | — | 75 | 1 | 0 | -1 | +0.13 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 992 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
28th percentile
13th percentile
21st percentile
45th percentile
33rd percentile
49th percentile
70th percentile
65th percentile
21st percentile
90th percentile
83rd percentile
23rd percentile
77th percentile
81st percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleHigh-volume offensive winger
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Rust is a relentless scorer and playmaker who creates chances through elite rush entries and consistent shot volume, while struggling to impose himself defensively or physically against opponents. He generates offense at even strength but offers minimal impact on the defensive end and doesn't grind through forechecks or physicality.
- Shooting volume
- 79
- Playmaking
- 75
- Zone entries(est.)
- 85
- Forechecking
- 17
- Physicality
- 32
- Defensive impact
- 4
- Puck management
- 19
- Speed
- 75
Where he shoots from
Slot 56% · Mid-range 35% · Perimeter 9%(298 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite rush chances and zone entries in the 85th percentile drive consistent offensive opportunities
- Top-tier shooting volume at 79th percentile with 56% of shots from high-danger slot areas
- Strong playmaking at 75th percentile to complement his scoring touch and create for others
Watch-outs
- Defensive impact in the 4th percentile shows he's a net negative in his own end
- Forechecking at 17th percentile means minimal help retrieving pucks or applying pressure below the goal line
- Below-average puck management at 19th percentile leads to turnovers that hurt transition game
Similar style: Cutter Gauthier (ANA), Anthony Mantha (NJD)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 72 GP
Season total +65.9, or +0.92 per game.
- Scoring
- +51.0
- Shooting
- +13.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- +1.2
- Defense
- -1.5
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Physical play
- +4.3
- Puck battles
- -3.3
- Penalties
- +0.2
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2.9 | 12:02 | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 41 | 4 | 7 | 11 | +1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 5.9 | 12:30 | 25.0 | — |
| 2016-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 57 | 15 | 13 | 28 | +4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 110 | 13.6 | 13:38 | 40.0 | — |
| 2017-18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 69 | 13 | 25 | 38 | +11 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 123 | 10.6 | 16:03 | 25.8 | — |
| 2018-19 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 72 | 18 | 17 | 35 | +10 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 141 | 12.8 | 15:54 | 33.3 | — |
| 2019-20 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 55 | 27 | 29 | 56 | +14 | 30 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 151 | 17.9 | 19:46 | 20.0 | — |
| 2020-21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 56 | 22 | 20 | 42 | +9 | 18 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 154 | 14.3 | 19:43 | 50.0 | — |
| 2021-22 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 60 | 24 | 34 | 58 | +7 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 180 | 13.3 | 18:46 | 16.7 | — |
| 2022-23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 81 | 20 | 26 | 46 | -4 | 31 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 211 | 9.5 | 17:54 | 50.0 | +0.69 |
| 2023-24 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 62 | 28 | 28 | 56 | +10 | 20 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 196 | 14.3 | 19:35 | 25.0 | +1.00 |
| 2024-25 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 71 | 31 | 34 | 65 | -21 | 18 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 191 | 16.2 | 19:45 | 52.9 | +0.92 |
| 2025-26 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 72 | 29 | 36 | 65 | 0 | 26 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 183 | 15.8 | 19:57 | 13.3 | +0.92 |
| Career | 12 seasons | 710 | 232 | 270 | 502 | +38 | 231 | 43 | 116 | 7 | 34 | 1742 | 13.3 | 17:39 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- How Long is Bryan Rust Out? Injury Return Timeline for Penguins’ 1st-Line Star
Yahoo Sports · Oct 1
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.57 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.8 mph
- 78th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 124
- Hardest shot
- 88.4 mph
- 73rd pct
- Distance
- 219.5 mi
- OZ time
- 44.6%
- 81st pct
- DZ time
- 38.1%
Usage
Last game: vs MTL, Oct 3
Not on a regular line last game.
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 34, forwards typically produce 63% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 35, when the typical level is 56%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | PIT | $5.125M | 4.9% |
| 2027-28 | PIT | $5.125M | 4.5% |
UFA after 2027-28. $10.25M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).