How Saturday became a ‘celebratory party’ for former Notre Dame hockey player Bryan Rust
Some days are more memorable than others. For Notre Dame hockey player and current Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust, this past Saturday was one of the best. He won’t ever forget it.
Rust and his wife were busy in the morning preparing for their son’s first birthday party. Cake, candles, catering to guests — it’s all they could think about for most of the day. But as people left and cleanup commenced, the afternoon took a twist.
The Penguins offered Rust a six-year, $30.75 million contract extension that’ll have his son, Hunter, celebrating birthdays in Pittsburgh until the time he’s a first-grader. Rust essentially signed the deal on the spot.
“It quickly turned from the first birthday party into the celebratory party,” Rust said Sunday in a virtual press conference. “We kind of took that and ran with it.”
Rust recently turned 30. It’s been a nearly a decade since he suited up for Notre Dame, and almost all of that time has been spent with the Penguins. He played for the organization’s AHL team for the better part of a season and a half before getting the permanent call up to the NHL.
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In eight years, Rust has scored 124 goals with 146 assists (270 points) in 424 games. He was nearly a point-per-game player this past season. He tallied a career-best 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in 60 games. In a seven-game playoff series defeat against the New York Rangers, Rust recorded two goals and six assists. Only Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel had more points than Rust among Penguins players. They both had 10.
Avid Irish fans had to have seen such a blossoming coming for Rust. He only had 11 goals combined in his first two seasons at Notre Dame before breaking out for 32 in his final two collegiate campaigns. He registered 30-plus points in each of his final two years at Notre Dame in 41 and 40 games, respectively. Rust had 97 points in 161 collegiate contests.
The Irish hockey program will forever hold a place in Rust’s heart. It’s the spot that propelled him to the pros. But with Pittsburgh being the location he celebrated his son’s birthday and it being in line to hold that title for years to come, the Steel City is right up there with South Bend.
“A lot of pride comes with being able to say you played with one organization for most, if not all, of your career,” Rust said.
