PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – GM Ron Hextall made mistakes this offseason. Mistakes that have cost this franchise. There are a pair of signings that are really paying off right now as the Pens make their push for a 17th consecutive playoff season.
Signing forward Rickard Rakell to a six-year contract was a big risk. There were only 19 games of the end of the last regular season to know if he’s a fit in Pittsburgh. Rakell had four goals in those games and ended up injured in the playoffs. The belief in the 29-year-old has paid dividends with 27 goals and 29 assists this season. By comparison his last 168 games in Anaheim, he scored 40 goals.
“He’s just a good teammate,” said Pens head coach Mike Sullivan who has had him bounce between Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s line, even briefly tried him on the third line to add balance there. “He’s trying to play the game hard and the right way.”
“He is gifted offensively. He has an uncanny ability to make something out of nothing. He has great tight area skills. His ability to create separation in and out of traffic and having the stick skills and the vision to be able to make that next play. He can finish, he can score. I think he brings an ability to set up his linemates and make plays, but also his ability to finish.”
“Whatever line he is on, that’s what he’s doing for us.”
He scored a pair of big goals against the Flyers Sunday and has six points in the last five games. Rakell’s last full playoff run, he had seven goals and six assists in 15 games.
“I’m really comfortable,” Rakell said. “I’m really excited for the chance to play with these great players. Just trying to do whatever I can to help our team win. We have some huge games coming down the stretch and I want to do my part of helping our team. I don’t care about the numbers.”
It hasn’t been the most consistent year for forward Bryan Rust, but as the organization contemplated Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang’s future this off-season, Rust was the first they signed long-term.
The 30-year-old had three consecutive 20-goal seasons, 73 total goals with 83 assists. There was no hesitation with Rust not only for the numbers, but the way he plays the game.
“He’s a pretty conscientious player,” Sullivan said. “He always brings effort and energy. He’s a good two-way player. He’s as good as a defensive player as we have on our team. He brings an offensive dimension to his game.”
“He’s a complete player. For a while there, the puck didn’t go in the net for him. He was getting a number of looks. It wasn’t a situation where he wasn’t getting opportunities. He was getting them. They just weren’t going in the net and that can be frustrating for players.”
Rust has two different nine-game goal-less streaks and another of seven games. He’s been streaky from a goal-scoring standpoint, heating up now with three goals now in the last two games and now 19 on the season.
“I admire his stick-to-itiveness, he just stayed with it,” Sullivan said. “He’s trying to play the game the right way and simplify the game. He’s getting rewarded right now.”
Understandably and deservedly the winger attention on the top two lines this year as been with a healthy and impactful Jason Zucker. Plus, another 35-goal season from Jake Guentzel on the top line. For the Pens to be a serious challenger in the playoffs, they need others and Rakell and Rust are answering that call.