Longtime Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman placed on waivers today

Chad Ruhwedel was a staple in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization for quite some time, and now a member of the Rangers, the team placed him on waivers.

At this point, Chad Ruhwedel's career has mostly been defined by being a reliable depth defenseman. If he clears waivers and reports to Hartford, it would be his first AHL action since the 2018-19 season. Now 34, Ruhwedel's spent the last nine years as an NHL bottom-pairing/press box option for various clubs, the most prominent of which were the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He initially entered the league as an undrafted free agent from UMass-Lowell, signing with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. But the early years of his time in Buffalo were primarily spent in the AHL before joining the Penguins in 2016.

Ruhwedel did play 33 games over two seasons in the AHL for the Penguins affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. However, more often than not, he secured a foothold in the NHL with Pittsburgh. Skilled physically and a reliable defender, the right-shot defender added 47 points, 90 penalty minutes, and maintained a rating of -7 in 326 regular season games with the Pens. Now on the decline and with his deal coming to an end, Ruhwedel was sent to the New York Rangers at the 2024 trade deadline in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

When he joined the Rangers, Ruhwedel's role was very minor. The defenseman played five games toward the end of the 2023-24 season, averaging 14:08 of ice time per game, with a rating of -2 and 15 hits. He did not play at all in the Rangers' playoff run. This summer he was an unrestricted free agent and re-signed with the Rangers on a one-year, two-way deal in hopes of securing a roster spot regularly.

Coming into the 2024-25 season, Ruhwedel was competing for a No. 7 defenseman spot. Early in the year, the opportunity seemed ripe with Ryan Lindgren on the shelf injured. But first, Lindgren returned to the lineup, and then rookie Victor Mancini jumped onto the scene and recorded three points in his first three games, pushing Ruhwedel to the press box once again. He had appeared in just one of the Rangers' first six games of the season, skating only 14 minutes, 21 seconds in one Oct. 19 contest against the Maple Leafs when he recorded a +2 rating with four blocked shots and two hits.

Chad Ruhwedel's path to the NHL has been an endless fight to be that steady, veteran presence, but times seem to be becoming extremely limited. If sent to the AHL, it would be a career-altering turn, perhaps showing his days of being a regular contributor in the NHL might be slowly coming to an end. But for whatever his experience and dependability bring, whether in the AHL or as depth in the NHL, is worth appreciation.

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