Pittsburgh Penguins’ Bryan Rust (17) returns to the bench after scoring during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust was not even an afterthought for Team USA in the Four Nations Tournament last February, but a silver medal with the pain of a heartbreaking loss to Team Canada, and 31 goals last season for Rust seem to have changed the situation.
According to Team USA, Rust is one of only 44 players invited to the Team USA orientation camp on Aug. 26- 27 in Plymouth, Mich., in advance of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is the Team USA GM, and former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who is quite familiar with Rust, is the head coach.
Three players with Pittsburgh roots are also vying to be part of Team USA. Logan Cooloey of the Utah Mammoth, Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers, and J.T. Miller, also with New York.
Goalie John Gibson, who is also from the Pittsburgh area, was excluded.
Team USA has already named the first six players to their Olympic roster. Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, and Charlie McAvoy
Rust, 32, is a scrappy winger who fits the mold of the American team, which made headlines by starting three fights in the opening minutes of their Four Nations Round Robin game vs. Canada.
The USA won the first game, but serious injuries to winger Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Charlie McAvoy during the short tournament hampered the USA, who suffered the ignominious defeat to Sidney Crosby and Canada in the gold medal game.
Rust had a career year with Crosby and the Penguins, scoring 31 goals with 65 points in 75 games. He joked with Pittsburgh Hockey Now last December that he was available if Team USA called, “If they need a shot blocking fourth liner, I’ve still got it in me!”
After missing a bit of that element in the Four Nations tourney, it appears Guerin and Sullivan may course correct to face Team Canada, who is also course correcting by inviting players such as the Washington Capitals’ tough winger, Tom Wilson, to their camp.
Forwards: Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield, Logan Cooley, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, Conor Garland, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Patrick Kane, Clayton Keller, Matthew Knies, Chris Kreider, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews, J.T. Miller, Frank Nazar, Brock Nelson, Shane Pinto, Jason Robertson, Bryan Rust, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk, Vincent Trocheck, Alex Tuch.
Defensemen: Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Luke Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Noah Hanifin, Seth Jones, Jackson LaCombe, Charlie McAvoy, Ryan McDonagh, Brett Pesce, Neal Pionk, Jake Sanderson, Brady Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, Alex Vlasic, Zach Werenski.
Goaltenders: Joey Daccord, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Jeremy Swayman
Tags: Bryan Rust Pittsburgh Penguins Team USA
Categorized:Olympics Penguins News Pittsburgh Penguins