The core four of the Toronto Maple Leafs was finally broken up this offseason with the departure of superstar winger Mitch Marner.
It was a breakup that not only felt inevitable but also long overdue; however, there’s no sugarcoating that the forward group is worse without his 100-point production and strong defensive play.
Because of that, Toronto is still in need of a top-six forward, and Tristin McKinstry of Heavy Sports is suggesting they trade for Bryan Rust of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Maple Leafs acquire: Bryan Rust
Penguins acquire: Nick Robertson, David Kampf, an unconditional 2028 first-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick that becomes a 2027 second-round pick if Toronto makes the Eastern Conference Finals.
“Rust has the ability to score 25-30 goals a season. And he can do so rather reliably. He would be a fantastic addition for a Maple Leafs team seeking to end its longstanding Stanley Cup drought,” McKinstry wrote.
Rust, whose full no-movement clause recently expired, has three years remaining on the six-year, $30.75 million extension he signed with the Penguins in 2022.
Kyle Dubas has set a high asking price for Rust
All offseason long, we’ve heard that the Pittsburgh Penguins are open to selling and that Kyle Dubas is taking offers on key players, including the likes of Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson.
Despite all of that chatter, nothing has come to fruition, and it can very likely be attributed to the haul Dubas is seeking in return for Rust in particular.
While the trade pitched to send Rust to Toronto is perfect for the Maple Leafs, it feels somewhat unlikely that the Penguins would accept. The draft picks are nice, but Dubas has made it clear he wants young players or prospects in any deal, so Nick Robertson and David Kampf won’t be of great interest.
It’s a situation to continue to monitor, but Brad Treliving will have to pony up if he truly wants to pry Bryan Rust out of Pittsburgh.
