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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
'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.
Advertisement
'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.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
Montour graduate recalls the moment the Pirates called his name "A complete surprise."
Screams of happiness rang out when the words were read during the MLB Draft. "With the 383rd pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates select Dylan Mathiesen." "We had no idea I was getting drafted until we saw it, and everyone went crazy," Mathiesen, the Pirates' 383rd overall pick, recalled. "We were just sitting around, looking at all the picks, and we just saw my name, and everyone went crazy. It was a complete surprise." The Pittsburgh native and Montour High School grad was selected by his hometown club on day two of this past year's MLB Draft. It's a moment he and the community will remember forever. "I mean, it's just amazing having everyone behind me," he said. "At JD's yesterday, I had so much support, everyone pulling for me, and it really means a lot." Mathisen started his collegiate career at the DII level and then ended up at Liberty University, where he had a strong season last year, garnering attention from pro clubs. Unfortunately, an injury got in the way. "Went out for warmups, and it felt pretty bad," he recalled. "Then, I threw a slider and I felt a sharp strain, and threw the next pitch and hit the guy. I kind of knew what it was, and I didn't want it to be Tommy John, but now it is." Mathisen was in the brace when he had his pre-draft visit with the Pirates in early June. He said he couldn't do anything physical, but the meeting went really well, and he stayed in contact. Now that it's official, and he saw his name called by his boyhood team, he's getting back to work. Mathisen said that he's heading down to the Complex League in Florida and will continue his rehab there. He also hopes to compete in Bradenton next fall.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Steelers' hideous 2025 throwbacks are somehow not their grossest
The simple beauty of the Pittsburgh Steelers is a steadfast grip on tradition. The glory of the team's run through the 1970s established them as an icon, creating outposts at unofficial "Steelers bars" across the globe where the same fans gather each Sunday in the fall. The Terrible Towel preserved Myron Cope's legacy as not only a gravel-voiced chorus that rang across western Pennsylvania but as a fandom innovator. The franchise has had three presidents in 89 years of existence, all from the Rooney family. Pittsburgh has had three general managers since 1991 and three head coaches since 1969. The team's uniforms are clean and classic enough that the University of Iowa, itself a sigil of throwback football now and until the heat death of the universe, copied them almost wholesale (with permission). This is all to say, the Steelers persist. That means when it's time to dust off an old school uniform, they have to go all the way back to a time before the Super Bowl existed. And when you're borrowing from the 1930s, you wind up in a place where stripes were considered a bold and innovative new design. Let's dispatch the elephant in this room. The jerseys, busy as they may be, are not the problem on their own. But matching them with a yellow helmet that allows little room for contrast was always going to heighten that static. When you add beige pants -- a different color that's not nearly different enough -- things truly begin to look rough. Factor in yellow socks (not beige) and you get the distinct impression the 1930s were a time where post-war rationing was still a thing and mostly applied to pant fabric. Still, it's a throwback to a different era that ties in plenty of local history from the franchise itself to the great city of Pittsburgh. That's a different time that saw the franchise go 25-71-6 in its first nine seasons, but it's a lovely sentiment. More importantly, it's not the worst uniforms the Steelers could have dug up. Let us remember, friends, the bumblebee alternates of 2012 through 2016. Pittsburgh chose the less gross of two options when it came to 1933, eschewing the pre-World War II swarm look for the slimming effect of vertical stripes. It also took advantage of the league's expanded helmet rules to bring back the yellow lids that came with those 30s kits and made a brief comeback in the late 2000s. So the Steelers will certainly look different for at least one game this fall. And they'll look at least a little bit ugly, too. But they won't look the worst they ever have, because for five straight seasons we got to see Ben Roethlisberger clumsily lope through the backfield before winging touchdown passes like an overfed bumblebee. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Steelers' hideous 2025 throwbacks are somehow not their grossest
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Phillip Rivers Calls it a Career
Phillip Rivers Calls it a Career originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Philip Rivers made it clear: his NFL journey ends where it truly began, with the Chargers. Though he last played in 2020 with the Colts, Rivers publicly confirmed on Monday what fans long assumed, announcing in a heartfelt team video, 'I'm retiring a Charger.' Rivers spent 16 years as the face of the Chargers franchise, from San Diego to Los Angeles, holding every major passing record in team history. His 137 career wins rank 10th among all NFL quarterbacks and second-most among those never to win a Super Bowl. In the emotional announcement, Rivers emphasized his gratitude. 'What I miss, and what I'm most thankful for, are the relationships,' he said, reflecting on a career defined as much by connection as by competition. The video was posted on the Chargers' social media page. "There's no one like Phil." Like many would expect, the responses were swift and emotionally charged. "As a NFL fan its hard to find a player to root for that has the same passion and intensity for the game of football as Phil," said one fan. This fan brought the emotion: "WE LOVE this so much! Forever 17! Major respect here: "256 Baby." San Diego love from this fan: "My QB. So much memories Phillip. Thank you. A true San Diego Charger." "1 of my fave players in any sport ever. rabid competitor. underrated & should be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. a legend just for being the only football player EVER to play a game with a torn ACL. & a simple, great dude who was easy to root for. thx for everything Philip Rivers," mentioned by this commenter. More love: "Forever my quarterback." The Chargers later in the day sent out a message about their former quarterback. "The gosh darn best." Rivers threw for 63,440 yards and 421 touchdowns, ranking sixth in NFL history in both categories. He sits alongside legends like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger, each with a Super Bowl ring, a distinction that eluded him. Known for his clean but fiery trash talk, Rivers stood out in an era of brash quarterbacks. 'Some clips I look at and just shake my head. But some, I think, dang, that was fun,' he said. 'It's like being in the backyard.' One of his most iconic moments came in the 2007 AFC Championship Game. Despite tearing his ACL the week before, Rivers played the full game against the Patriots. The Chargers lost, but Rivers' toughness became legend. The team's president, John Spanos, highlighted Rivers' legacy: 'He's one of the most important players in this franchise's history. It's what he did on and off the field, how he carried himself, and the success we had while he was here.' Rivers entered the league in the famed 2004 NFL Draft. Originally selected by the New York Giants, he was traded on draft day for No. 1 pick Eli Manning. While Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants, Rivers went on to have a Hall-of-Fame-caliber run with the Chargers. He began as Drew Brees' backup but took over as the starter in 2006 and never missed another game. He started 252 straight, including playoffs — a streak only rivaled by legends of the game. 'Sixteen years. I never took that for granted,' Rivers said. 'They trusted me to be the quarterback. I'm forever thankful.' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.