Key Penguins forward considered day-to-day with lower-body injury

Post-Gazette Sports reporter Matt Vensel tweeted some updates Wednesday morning from Pittsburgh Penguins practice. Vensel said that Penguins forward Bryan Rust was not in attendance as he awaits results from an MRI Tuesday. Rust suffered a lower-body injury recently, and it is unclear what the injury is or how long he could be sidelined for. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Rust will not play Wednesday and is out day-to-day.

The Penguins have already lost fellow right-wing option Rickard Rakell, and if Rust is ruled out long term it will create a massive void in the Penguins' top six as well as their penalty kill. Rust has been the Penguins’ most consistent winger this year with 16 points in 17 games on top of his inspired penalty-killing.

If Rust is absent long term, the Penguins could find themselves in a big hole as they are in the middle of a tough stretch of games and take on the New York Rangers Wednesday.

In other Penguins notes:

• Vensel also reported that Penguins forward Matt Nieto was in attendance at practice today which is typically a good sign for a player’s availability on a game day. This was confirmed by Sullivan who said that Nieto is available to play but will be a game-time decision. Nieto took a maintenance day yesterday and did not skate with the team. The 31-year-old has struggled to start the season with just a goal and an assist in his first 17 games of the season. He has been a piece of the Penguins fourth line that has provided the team with almost no offence this season but has been a very effective penalty killer when called upon. It’s fair to wonder if Nieto is dealing with a nagging issue as he has been unable to come close to replicating his play from last season when he had 12 goals and 12 assists in 81 games.
• Vensel tweeted that freshly signed defenseman Dmitri Samorukov attended Penguins practice today and has been added to their active roster. The 24-year-old signed a one-year two-way contract yesterday that will pay him $775K at the NHL level for the 2023-24 season. Vensel followed up his original tweet by adding that Samorukov stayed after the Penguins practice for some extra work with the coaches which is generally an indication that he will not play tonight. Samorukov does have three games of NHL experience and has yet to score a point.