With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2023-24 season coming to an end without any postseason action, TribLive will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 52 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from fourth-line center Noel Acciari to reserve winger Radim Zohorna.

This series is scheduled to be published every weekday leading into the second day of the NHL Draft on June 29.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)

Bryan Rust

Position: Right winger

Shoots: Right

Age: 32

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 192 pounds

2023-24 NHL statistics: 62 games, 56 points (28 goals, 28 assists), 19:34 of average ice time per game

Contract: In the second year of a six-year contract with a salary cap hit of $5.25 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2028.

(Note: The first three years of this contract contain a no-movement clause.)

Acquired: Third-round draft pick (No. 80 overall), June 26, 2010

This season: It probably speaks volumes for how far Bryan Rust’s development has come when a mere 20-goal season — as in 20 on the dot — is seen as mundane for a player who entered the NHL as a bottom-six bang-and-crash winger.

But that was the case for Rust in regard to his mundane 2022-23 campaign when he reached 20 goals but blighted with bouts of inconsistency.

With the benefit of a long 2023 offseason, Rust worked at his game and managed to set a career-high with 28 goals, even despite missing 20 games due to injury.

Fittingly enough, Rust scored the Penguins’ first goal of the 2023-24 campaign during the season opener, a 4-2 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10.

Primarily stationed in his usual role on the top line next to franchise center Sidney Crosby, Rust rushed out to a quick start to the season, posting 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in his first 17 games.

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In what would become an unwelcome but common theme to Rust’s season, an undisclosed injury sidelined him for three games in late November. Following a quick convalescence, Rust returned for five games but another undisclosed ailment kept him out for most of December as he missed the final 10 games of the 2023 calendar year.

Back on the ice by Dec. 2, Rust maintained his production of nearly a point per game by collecting 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in his next 20 games before another malady hobbled him for seven games in late February and early March.

Back for good by March 10, Rust was a driving force in the Penguins’ valiant but futile late season push toward a playoff spot in the final weeks of the regular season. Skating in the team’s final 20 games, Rust was the Penguins’ second-leading scorer over that span — trailing only Crosby — with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists).

The future: Nothing figures to really change for Rust heading into his 11th season. He will remain arc welded to Crosby’s right wing given the uncanny chemistry the two have developed over several seasons.

As one of the team’s fastest and most tenacious skaters, Rust does a lot of the “dirty work” as the lead forechecker on that line, allowing Crosby to collect the turnovers Rust creates. In addition to that, Rust’s offensive touch has improved as he has reached the 20-goal barrier for five consecutive seasons (including a few shortened by the pandemic).

And as a regular participant on the power play and penalty kill, he has become one of the most useful players on the roster.

A legitimate concern, however, is his durability, especially given the 20 games he missed last season. Rust does not play a style that is all that forgiving on his body and as he approaches his mid-30s, it is curious how he will continue to endure such a demanding workload.

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But even with increased injuries, Rust remains as reliable as ever.

Follow the Penguins all season long.

Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.