Bryan Rust "Couldn't Be Happier" to be Staying in Pittsburgh

Last May, Hunter Rust was born in the city of Pittsburgh, where his parents Bryan and Kelsey first met.
And as their loved ones congregated to celebrate his 1st birthday this weekend, they got some exciting news - the Rust family will officially be staying here for the long-term, as the Penguins announced on Saturday night that they had signed Bryan to a six-year contract extension.

"Talks had kind of happened (Friday), and we knew things were possibly getting a little bit closer," Rust said over a video call on Sunday afternoon. "But we had my son's 1st birthday party planned, and we were doing a lot of setting up and getting ready for that. We have a bunch of family and friends in town, so we celebrated that.
"Then pretty much as soon as that was starting to shut down, we had finalized the deal. So it quickly turned from the 1st birthday party into the celebratory party."
Rust, who was set to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career after the Penguins drafted him back in 2010, had said that his family was the biggest priority when it came to what he was looking for in a new deal. He wanted to be somewhere that they could all be comfortable and happy, and Pittsburgh is that place for them.
"Obviously, there were conversations between my agent and I about what could possibly be out there and where and all that stuff, and the logistics… but I think our mindset was on getting something done in Pittsburgh," the 30-year-old winger said.
So instead of testing the market when it opens on July 13, where Rust likely could have gotten more after eclipsing the 20-goal plateau for a third-straight season, he signed for an incredibly team-friendly average annual value of $5.125 million. The previous cap hit on his four-year deal had been $3.5 million.
Rust isn't too concerned about the what if's, saying he's thrilled with the terms - and that if it can potentially have a ripple effect that would benefit Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang's situations, even better.
"We couldn't be happier that we're staying in Pittsburgh," Rust said. "I think for me, terms of the contract was important. Obviously, six years is a long time. If there was a little bit of discount taken, I guess there could have been, but we're happy here. This is a number that we're really happy with, I'm really happy with. I think if that helps out some other guys that would like to be here and like the chance to win with this team, I think that's awesome."

Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said that Rust exemplifies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin, that he's developed into a versatile player capable of contributing in any situation, and that his leadership qualities and experience as a two-time Stanley Cup champion is an important piece of their team.
Not only has Rust started to help share in the responsibility of making sure that everyone lives up to the standard of excellence established by Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Letang - he is now set to join that trio as one of the longest-tenured Penguins in team history with this new deal.
"I think the opportunity to have that happen is cool," Rust said. "I think a lot of pride comes with being able to say you played with one organization for most, if not all, of your career. I think that definitely played into a little bit of a factor when making this decision."
He truly has thrived in Pittsburgh, and has only gotten better with each passing year. From a hockey perspective, Rust said that everybody - ownership, management, players, coaches, and staff - does a good job of making this an unbelievable place to play.
"We get treated so well; we get pretty much everything that we can want," Rust said. "The facilities are fantastic. All of that is above and beyond. Couldn't say any better things about the organization, and that definitely played a big factor."
That, along with his comfort level, is what Rust believes will help him continue to thrive. Sometimes, players tend to feel some extra pressure after signing big contracts like this one, but the day-at-a-time mindset that has served him well through the ups and downs that he's experienced to this point should carry him through.
"Over the years, there's been stretches that have been amazing, and there's been stretches that haven't been good," Rust said. "I've kind of learned to try and take each one of those as they come and learn from it. Take the good with the good and take the bad with the bad, and just keep chugging along."
Then from a life perspective, Bryan and Kelsey love the city of Pittsburgh itself. He is from Michigan, while she is from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, which are both manageable drives. Knowing that their families can come and visit any time, especially now that they have Hunter, is a wonderful added bonus to their situation.
"This place is definitely near and dear to our heart," Rust said. "Being able to continue to grow those away from the rink memories as well as trying to make a few more memories at the rink, I think just makes it that much more special."