Rust hasn't done anything of worth in the playoffs since 2017. I don't think he's an answer to our problems, because I think he's part of the problem itself.
We can shuffle things around, and I'm fine doing so, but we're still thin when it comes to actual threats to score. Sid, Jake, and Rust have all come up flat in the post season for the last several trips--both individually and as a line. Geno had 5pts last spring but outside of that heroic effort, he's been as bad as the other guys for years. Carter's depth scoring is great but you're still asking for more from your top guys. Blueger and all the other nobodies like Kap, Zucker, ZAR, E-Rod, etc. are nothingmancers. Outside of Letang, we've really got no consistent, substantial production from the blueline (I know, Matheson skates really well).
If we add, I hope we add someone with some real offensive punch to their game. If we don't add, I see us being out again in the 1st, maybe 2nd round, and I see it as basically an admission by the team that the era's over and they're just gonna let things fall apart naturally--a slow, boring end.