Bryan Rust's name is in the Penguins trade conversation, and a 6-2 loss in Vegas on Saturday only turned up the volume.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday Headlines that Pittsburgh is willing to move a veteran forward for picks or prospects, mainly to open doors for younger players.
Rust wasn't named. He doesn't need to be, because few veterans fit that description better than a 34-year-old winger with two Stanley Cup rings.
He also has no trade protection and carries a $5,125,000 cap hit through 2027-28. Kyle Dubas can shop him anywhere.
The start hasn't helped his value. He has three goals and a -5 rating through six games.
So what should Pittsburgh ask for? A second-round pick plus a real prospect, not a throw-in, is the floor.
If Dubas retains half the salary, the buyer carries $2,562,500, and that's when a first-round pick becomes a fair ask.
Canadiens, Bruins, Rangers, Flyers and Flames all have a case
A veteran like that on a contender is like a spare key you forgot you had. Nobody thinks about it until the door's locked in April.
In Montreal, the fit is obvious. Ivan Demidov is on injured reserve, and Martin St-Louis could use a winger who spent years riding shotgun with Sidney Crosby.
Kirby Dach and Jake Evans have combined for one point. Kent Hughes could slot Rust beside Nick Suzuki and let a young core learn what a Cup run actually demands.
Boston doesn't need a rescue. The Bruins are 7-2-0, but Pavel Zacha is day-to-day, and three lines that can score is how teams survive May.
For Don Sweeney, the winger would be a luxury purchase. Marco Sturm would get a veteran who can move up and down the lineup without a learning curve.
The Rangers make the most sense on paper. Pavel Dorofeyev has gone minus-7 at an $11,000,000 cap hit, and Mike Sullivan is already shuffling his top six.
Rust could step onto J.T. Miller's wing right away, though Pittsburgh may not love arming a Metropolitan rival.
Philadelphia is the wild card. The Flyers have scored 14 goals in 10 games, and Travis Konecny is on injured reserve.
Rick Tocchet badly needs someone who finishes. A proven scorer could also show Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone how it's done, if Daniel Briere can stomach dealing with Pittsburgh.
Calgary is the toughest sell. The Flames are 2-6-0 and have allowed 37 goals, even after beating Carolina on Sunday.
For Craig Conroy, a 34-year-old winger only works as a mentor for Matvei Gridin. That's a bad fit for a team that needs years, not months.
Pittsburgh has to decide what it's selling. The Penguins visit Utah on Monday, and every loss pushes Dubas closer to listening.
The bigger question is whether Sidney Crosby wants to watch one of his longest-serving wingers help someone else chase what Pittsburgh can't.
Should your team trade for Bryan Rust if the Penguins retain half his salary?
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