New NHL update drops on Bryan Rust's hearing after Brock Boeser hit

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Daniel Lucente
January 26, 2026 (3:43 PM)

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Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust is headed for a Department of Player Safety hearing, because Brock Boeser took the brunt of it.

The big change is the timing, the hearing is now scheduled for Tuesday morning, not later in the week.

That matters because Pittsburgh's next few days are already packed with games, travel, and lineup decisions.

The hit itself came late against the Vancouver Canucks, a high contact play that sparked instant outrage on the ice.

Vancouver didn't get a power play on the sequence, but they might get some justice after the fact.

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Rust's season has been a bright spot, with 18-21-39 through 47 games.

Boeser, meanwhile, sits at 12-13-25 in 50 games, and Vancouver absolutely needs his scoring touch.

If the league lands on a suspension, Pittsburgh's top-six gets reshuffled in a hurry.

That also changes the look of the man advantage, especially if Rust's net-front and bumper reps disappear.

Penguins fans are torn right now, you hate the hit, but you also know how thin this lineup can get fast.

The cleanest path is simple, sit Rust if discipline comes, move on, and don't let it spiral into a bigger story.

But the timing forces hard calls, because you cannot "wait and see" when the next puck drop is around the corner.

Pittsburgh is 26-14-11, and they've been banking points, so one suspension game can feel like two.

The league will decide Tuesday morning, and everyone else will react immediately after.

Either way, this is one of those moments that sticks in the room, and the next game will tell us a lot.

Previously on HockeyUnplugged

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JANVIER 26\|305 ANSWERS New NHL update drops on Bryan Rust's hearing after Brock Boeser hit Should Bryan Rust be suspended for the illegal check to the head on Brock Boeser?
Yes	124	40.7 %
No	181	59.3 %
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