CRANBERRY, Pa. -- When the 38 prospects take to the Lemieux Sports Complex ice today for the opening of the Penguins' development camp, the forwards among them would do well to work on their lateral skating.
As in switching left to right, and vice versa.
Make no mistake: Bryan Rust became a much wealthier man Tuesday -- four years, $14 million -- because of what Mike Sullivan's long termed his 'Swiss Army knife' status. He can switch wings; he can function almost as seamlessly on the first line as on the fourth. He can kill penalties. And as a result, he solves problems. Just like a baseball manager's pet player is almost always the superutilityman, a hockey coach loves the guy whose number he can call when someone else goes down.
Good for Rust. He's a tireless, tear-it-from-the-heart two-time champion. He won't cheat his employer of a solitary penny.
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