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Penguins Star Forward Bryan Rust Breaks Silence on Longtime Condition
Longtime Penguins veteran forward Bryan Rust opened up today about a condition he has dealt with his entire life.
Bryan Rust has been a consistent performer for the Pittsburgh Penguins for a decade now, appearing in nearly 700 games between the regular-season and playoffs.
He has 192 career goals and 414 points in 617 games with the club, including 20 goals and 42 points in 50 games so far this season.
He continues to be a bright spot on a bad team as the Penguins remain in last place in the Metro Division.
Rust isn't letting that get him down this year though, as he continues to be an invaluable part of the Pittsburgh Community.
Today, he opened up about how he grew up with a speech impediment, and shared that he was happy that he had the opportunity to show other kids that they can still live out their dreams even with the condition.
"For a condition like stuttering, which isn't always highlighted in the public eye, it can be so reassuring for kids to see a role model who is living out their dream. I'm very proud to have a platform that allows me to connect with everyone in the community."
Sadly, Rust's days in Pittsburgh could be coming to an end soon though.
As the team continues to bottom out, general manager Kyle Dubas will be looking to make massive changes in the coming years.
Could Rust be one of the players on the way out? He still has a full no-movement clause for the remainder of this season, but as Penguins reporter Josh Yohe points out, he could be dealt as soon as this summer.
"Rust's no-movement clause doesn't expire until July 1, so he's not going anywhere yet. After that?
He becomes a fascinating case. Despite frequently dealing with injuries, Rust's value to the Penguins has never been higher. He also will wear the «A» on his sweater on a full-time basis when Malkin retires. As he should. He's a terrific leader, and you want young players to learn from him.
So, keeping him seems logical. If you're Dubas, though, you're going to receive so many phone calls about him next season. And the return may be too hard to ignore."
He becomes a fascinating case. Despite frequently dealing with injuries, Rust's value to the Penguins has never been higher. He also will wear the «A» on his sweater on a full-time basis when Malkin retires. As he should. He's a terrific leader, and you want young players to learn from him.
So, keeping him seems logical. If you're Dubas, though, you're going to receive so many phone calls about him next season. And the return may be too hard to ignore."
If Rust is moved though, he will continue to be an advocate for kids with speech impediments, just in a new city.
Still though, that won't make the day any less sad for fans of the Penguins.
| POLL | ||
MARS 5 | 240 ANSWERS Penguins Star Forward Bryan Rust Breaks Silence on Longtime Condition Do you think Kyle Dubas will trade Penguins forward Bryan Rust before the beginning of next season? | ||
| Yes | 73 | 30.4 % |
| No | 140 | 58.3 % |
| Unsure | 27 | 11.3 % |
| List of polls | ||