Bryan Rust Heaps Praise On Penguins’ 18-Year-Old Star Rookie

Pittsburgh Penguins star forward Bryan Rust has nothing but praise for a star rookie.

The Penguins drafted Ben Kindel 11th overall in 2025, and he’s had an immediate impact as an 18-year-old rookie. With Rickard Rakell injured, Kindel is now on the Penguins’ first-line power play, and Kindel made the most of the opportunity.

In the Penguins’ 4-1 road win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, Kindel scored a power play to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead. Following the game, Rust heaped praise on the rookie for his play.

“He’s been awesome,” Rust said postgame on Thursday about Kindel. “To come in here as an 18-year-old kid and be able to do it, he’s doing it. To have the high character and the ability to play the way that he has, I think it is extremely special. There is no moment that seems to be too big for him.”

Kindel has now recorded three goals in 10 games for the Penguins. Although he’s just 18, Penguins head coach Dan Muse is impressed with the rookie’s maturity and hockey IQ.

“We think, based on what we’ve seen of him up to this point, just the sense, his ability to read space, the ability to attack space, to know where the next play is – those are the types of things that I think we’ve seen from him on a pretty consistent basis,” Muse said.

With Pittsburgh’s 4-1 win on the road, the Penguins finished the month of October with a record of 8-2-2. Pittsburgh has the best record in the NHL

The Penguins will return to the ice on Saturday on the road against the Winnipeg Jets.

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