The Pittsburgh Penguins face a pivotal moment with the NHL trade deadline approaching. Bryan Rust, an integral player since 2014-15, may remain with the team despite trade speculations due to his key contributions and bond with Sidney Crosby.

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Before Pittsburgh hit the road for a three-game trip, Bryan Rust acknowledged how difficult this time of year is, especially with the team struggling to find results ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.

Kyle Dubas had himself quite the day during the trade deadline, making multiple moves, and he finally took some time to address five key points. Pittsburgh Penguins President/GM Kyle Dubas spoke to the media Friday after the trade deadline passed.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has a no-movement clause until July 1st. The Penguins don’t plan on asking him to waive it. Don’t think the Penguins have any intentions of trading Rust anytime soon.

The Penguins have nearly lost every game since the 4 Nations Face-Off. They were playing fairly well before that two-week break and theoretically were alive in the playoff race, sitting just 6 points out of a postseason spot. A couple of weeks later, the Penguins are plummeting.

William Nylander scored 1:00 into overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5.