Rust's numbers are misleading in that he's benefiting from the whole "someone has to get the cushy ice time and put up points on a shitty team" syndrome. He gets the points *here* because he's stapled to Crosby's wing and generally plays on the top PP unit. Those numbers are misleading because any other team (or any other contender) and he's not getting those cushy minutes.
That's why I said he's a 2nd liner on any other good team's roster. Because that's where he'd play. He'd be like the 3rd or 4th best winger on most contenders, but on the Pens he's the top winger because the rest of our wingers kind of suck (relative to the other playoff teams).
As for Bunting, he's fine as he is. But he's also just your typical 50-ish point winger. Nothing horrible about that, but also not exactly overly great considering he's more a complimentary type on a team that needs more play drivers/top end skill.
Your comment was about even-strength play, so that's what I was answering with. Power-play output, usage, and how that affects season-end point totals is a different topic, but I guess I can touch on that too.
That perception of how many quality wings are dispersed throughout the league is flawed. The league's talent is watered down with 32 teams, and the salary cap exists.
Plus it's disingenuous to say Rust just got carried last year, like Sid and Jake didn't profit from him a great deal too. He was one of the best Penguins. He was on pace for north of 70 points if he played all 82, and he had half of Crosby's PP minutes. A massive chunk of those came on PP2 as well..
What he did is not common or expected, and he doesn't deserve to be dismissed like that.
The PPP's only account for 19% of his career production. He's not using it to boost his numbers like other top line wings do. Plus he didn't get legit PP time until his 6th season.
In the 5 years since getting that promotion, he's averaged 62 games played per season. That's a result of Covid shortened years and injuries.
That's what's really hurting his point totals and reputation. And yeah, granted he's not very good on the PP.
Bunting has everything he needs to be a 60 or even 70 point player. Just give him a functioning PP1 with him as a regular. His production in other situations will take care of the rest.
Plus there'll be a notable chunk of goals he gets no points on, but were created with his screens.
I suppose it's fair to call his skillset complimentary, but he's also a hell of a complimentary player. 2.32 5v5 P/P60 since entering the league? That ranks 31st in the NHL since 2018-19.
That means on average he'd be the 2nd best 5v5 producing player on a team.
Calling him "typical" is a huge undersell. "Excellent" is a more appropriate word.
No in between. 
www.nhl.com
