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And the only reason a five-year string of 20-goal seasons came to an end last season was because he scored a career-best 31 goals.

That increased production, blended with his breakneck speed and tenacity as a forechecker, led to him being invited to the United States Olympic orientation camp in August. The function serves as something of an evaluation for potential members of the Olympic roster.

“I was extremely honored,” said Rust, a native of Novi, Mich. “It’s something that I’ve been striving for. I don’t think too many people think I should be on there. But, me personally, I do think that I belong there. I expect to belong there and I hope to make that team. I’m a Pittsburgh Penguin first but, obviously, that opportunity is kind of once in a lifetime.”

There are also plenty of suggestions that Rust should be a member of another team.

Given the Penguins’ shift to a steady, and hardly rushed, rebuilding process, Rust has become the subject of trade speculation. The expiration of a no-movement clause in his contract this past offseason only amplified that hearsay.

President of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has regularly praised Rust’s on-ice skills and the value he has in creating the optimal culture for the franchise. But he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a trade.

“With where we’re at, we always have to look every single day of what’s best for the organization,” Dubas said. “But we also aren’t just going to make deals to offload very key, important people to the organization, that have given a lot to the organization in their time. If the right return is there, we would look at anything.”

Rust is aware of the rumors. But doesn’t dwell on them.

“It is what it is,” Rust said. “It’s kind of the nature of the business. It’s the nature of where this team is at. And obviously, I lost my trade protection. Those things are going to start coming out.”

Rust will start the season 10th on the career games list for the franchise with 638. If he stays healthy (and employed by the Penguins), he has a chance to move past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (691) and defenseman Brooks Oprik (703) for eighth place.

The figures don’t carry much weight with Rust. But the longevity of being with one team for so long is certainly profound.

“For me, it goes a long way,” Rust said. “Because clearly more often than not, somebody either kind of loses their way within a franchise or they wear out their welcome one way or another. And they just need a change of scenery.

“It says a lot about a player when they consistently can come into the same room and have that same work ethic, that same motivation, that same drive where those things don’t necessarily happen to them. And they continue to get better with one organization, continue to play as well as they can, all without any dips or falling into a sense of comfort.”

What would give Rust the ultimate comfort in his 12th season with the Penguins?

“Dragging this team that nobody thinks can make the playoffs into the playoffs,” Rust said. “There’s a lot of guys in here who want to accomplish something.”