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Penguins trade deadline tiers reveal Bryan Rust dilemma for Kyle Dubas
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Kyle Dubas can move Bryan Rust and Brett Kulak, but Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are Penguins trade deadline no-go zones.
Rust is producing, and that is why he scares you.
He’s sitting at 19-21-40, the kind of winger stat line that sells itself in late February.
His deal is the real lever.
If Pittsburgh thinks it’s a retool, you keep the goals and the forecheck.
If it’s a pivot, Rust becomes the cleanest “win now” add for a contender.
Kulak is a different type of chip.
He’s at 0-4-4, but teams do not shop him for points.
They shop him for minutes, exits, and a steady third-pair life when injuries hit.
He is also a pending UFA, and that matters more than his box score.
As you can see from the post above, insider Josh Yohe believes the most likely players to go are Acciari, Mantha and Dewar, as well as draft picks, but Bryan Rust is the true wildcard for Dubas.
The Olympic roster freeze is buying Dubas time, but it also compresses the real decision window.
Crosby is the easiest name on the list to file under “do not call.”
He’s at 27-32-59, and you do not trade the face of the franchise while you’re still trying to win nights.
Sidney Crosby anchors the Pittsburgh Penguins identity
Fans are tired of the annual trade panic, and they just want the room to feel normal for once.
Malkin belongs in the same locked drawer.
He’s at 13-31-44, and the Penguins are not ripping out their second center spine in-season.
So the deadline story stays practical.
Rust and Kulak are the two that can actually change hands without turning the city upside down.
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