Rust’s Team USA Camp Invite Was Well-Deserved. And It Shouldn’t Stop There.

On Tuesday, Team USA revealed its U.S. Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp roster, which includes 44 players.

And there is one player representing the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Forward Bryan Rust was one of 24 forwards invited to the camp after putting together a career year with Pittsburgh last season. In 71 games, Rust registered 31 goals and 65 points, which are both career-high marks.

But one thing should be clear: Rust didn’t break this camp on the merits of last season alone. No, that would be selling him short. In a lot of ways, he is one of the more underrated and underappreciated forwards in the league, and his consistency season-to-season has been a defining characteristic of his.

And that - coupled with his veteran leadership and versatility - is precisely why Rust doesn’t just belong at Team USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp. He belongs on Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.

“He’s been [in Pittsburgh] his whole career,” Penguins’ general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said during his season-ending press conference in April. “[He has] a daily commitment to being an elite Pittsburgh Penguin and setting an example. He also bridges the gap. One of the things we see here, especially from the young guys coming in, is there’s such a reverence for Sid, who’s earned that reverence. Rusty… he sets the example that guys will also look to.”

Penguins Star Invited To USA's Olympic Orientation CampTeam USA has announced their 2026 Olympic orientation camp roster, and one

To be clear, Rust’s “leadership skills” aren’t going to stand out much on a stacked USA team that is full of other veterans with similar leadership qualities and intangibles. Players like Auston Matthews, Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, Brock Nelson, Charlie McAvoy, and Zach Werenski also fit that mold nicely, so leadership alone isn’t enough to put Rust ahead in the conversation as far as a roster spot.

But when digging into statistics and adding in that element of leadership, a clearer picture comes into focus.

Of those 24 forwards, only seven registered more goals than Rust’s 31 last season, and he finished with more points than 10 of the forwards invited. In addition, Rust sees time on both the penalty kill and power play units, making his situational versatility a plus.

Rust has also had a unique developmental path that adds to that element of versatility. Drafted in the third round (80th overall) by Pittsburgh in 2010, he went from college hockey at Notre Dame to AHL hockey, where he was mostly a role player. The same can be said about his first handful of seasons in the NHL, as he was a third- and fourth-line grinder then but worked his way up in the lineup.

Introducing the 44 players who will attend the U.S. Men's Olympic Orientation Camp 🇺🇸

Details: https://t.co/lWC0ZT1AJcpic.twitter.com/16FT49FRgP

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) August 19, 2025

He finally broke out in 2019-20 - when he put up 27 goals and 56 points in 55 games - and hasn’t looked back since. He now has six consecutive seasons of 20 or more goals and 0.84 point-per-game clip in that span, which includes a massive down year in 2022-23 (20 goals, 46 points in 81 games).

That kind of self-made growth and consistency with age is not something that every player is capable of. Rust rose above his prospect value as a career bottom-six player and made himself into a top-line winger, and this is suggestive of a near-unmatched work ethic and competitive spirit.

In other words, Rust has a very unique combination of that blue-collar work ethic, the ability to produce, the versatility to play in every situation, and the no-quit leadership qualities that may just give him an edge on some of the more one-dimensional players invited to the camp. He also has ties to Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan, who mutually parted ways with the Penguins this offseason and moved on to coach the New York Rangers.

Sullivan always spoke very highly of Rust during his tenure in Pittsburgh, and their relationship brings a familiarity for Sullivan in terms of systems, messaging, and coaching. He is highly aware of Rust’s best attributes, and he would know how to maximize those on Team USA’s roster.

Rust may not be the most flashy name on the roster. He may not be in the upper echelon of choices. But, when it comes down to business, Team USA is serious about bringing home a gold medal. Unlike the 4 Nations Tournament in February last season - in which each team only played in a handful of games - the Olympic tournament is longer and more involved, and it’s even more important to put an actual team together.

And that’s not just a team of the very best players. It’s a team that knows how to work together as a well-oiled machine. A team that can deploy four lines in different situations and feel good about their depth both in terms of production and who to give the hard minutes to.

Rust seems to perfectly align with that vision. He’s earned the opportunity, and Team USA would be all the better for it if he was officially named to the Olympic roster ahead of February.

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