Pierre LeBrun Names Veteran Penguins Forward Atop Trade Candidate List
The Pittsburgh Penguins are on the verge of a pivotal offseason, and NHL insider Pierre LeBrun made it clear on TSN's "OverDrive" that the front office is fully open to change.
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LeBrun clarified, however, that the Penguins are open to trading all pieces in their roster except for the "legacy" players within the organization, meaning Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and most probably Kris Letang.
'They're listening [to trade offers] on everyone that aren't legacy guys,' LeBrun said. 'You know, they're not gonna move Malkin or Crosby.'
LeBrun said the decision to shift toward selling didn't arrive until the middle of last season, but the club has since embraced a more open stance regarding its roster.
And with former Penguins forward Jake Guentzel already out the door following his trade to the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2024 trade deadline, LeBrun reported that veteran Bryan Rust appears next in line to leave Pittsburgh.
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'Rust is the guy, the one that teams are calling on the most,' LeBrun said. 'Plenty of teams are eyeing him.'
Rust, 33, remains one of Pittsburgh's top contributors. He posted a career-high 65 points in just 71 games this past season, including another career high with 31 goals.
Rust still has three years remaining on the six-year, $30.75 million contract he signed in 2022.
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) celebrates a goal with Sidney Crosby (center) during a game played at Madison Square Garden.Danny Wild-Imagn Images
While Rust's full no-move clause has covered the first three seasons, that protection will no longer apply from July 1 on, giving GM Kyle Dubas complete control over a potential trade.
During his introductory press conference, new Penguins head coach Dan Muse said he plans on "leaning" on the veterans of the team.
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'I've reached out to close to 95% of all players under contract,' Muse said. 'We're still finishing that part up. In regards to the veteran players, you're always working with the leaders. Guys that have been in this organization for such a long time. You're going to be leaning on them.'
Related: Penguins Coach Reveals Plans for Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh's Aging Core
Related: Elliotte Friedman Gets Painfully Honest About Possible Player-Coach Role for Sidney Crosby
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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