Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan Reveals Major Update on Brian Rust Injury

During Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, Rust sustained a lower-body injury. After being carried to the boards by winger Nils Hoglander in the third period, he found it difficult to bear any weight on his right leg. Rust's condition was disclosed by coach Mike Sullivan on Tuesday after an optional morning skate in Cranberry.

Due to a lower-body injury, the 32-year-old also missed the season's opening two games. In eight games, Rust has averaged 19:20 minutes of ice time per game and recorded three goals and four points.

At Monday's practice, the Penguins stacked the top line with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Rust's absence:

Crosby had Rickard Rakell, Anthony Beauvillier, and Drew O'Connor on his wings during Pittsburgh's first two games without Rust this season.

Rust, a regular in the Penguins' top six, has scored 20 goals in each of the last five seasons and reached 50 points three times, including last season. The struggling team, which has lost five straight games and been outscored 21-10 during that time, is suffering from his absence. With a 3-6-1 record, the Penguins are currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division.

According to Sullivan, Joel Blomqvist will start Tuesday's home game against the Minnesota Wild. Blomqvist has a 2-3-0 record, a 3.34 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage in five games this season.

Tonight at PPG Paints Arena, Minnesota goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will be in goal for the Wild in what will probably be his last game in Pittsburgh. During his first 13 years in the black and gold, from 2003 to 2017, the three-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, and 2017) played 691 games with a 375-216-68 record, 2.58 goals-against average, .912 save percentage, and 44 shutouts. In several categories (minimum of 25 GP), he is ranked in the top two all-time in the history of the franchise.

The Penguins have won 10 of their previous 11 meetings with the Wild (9-1-1) going into tonight's game. Since November 4, 2014, the Penguins have played 18 games against the Wild, going 13-4-1. Since January 25, 2018, Pittsburgh has had a six-game home winning streak (5-0-1) against Minnesota.