Ruhwedel was traded to the Rangers from the Penguins on Friday in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Ruhwedel has spent the past eight seasons in Pittsburgh -- this year, he's registered just one goal and three assists through 47 contests. The 33-year-old will bring his physical presence to New York, as he's logged 75 hits and 37 blocked shots this campaign. He will most likely serve as nothing more than a depth option for the Rangers down the stretch.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Available against Golden Knights
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Ruhwedel (undisclosed) feels fine after exiting Monday's 3-0 win over Seattle for precautionary reasons and should be available Saturday versus Vegas, per Wes Crosby of NHL.com.
Ruhwedel, who left the game after absorbing a hit from Eeli Tolvanen, believes he could have even returned before the conclusion of Monday's contest if the hit had occurred earlier. Ruhwedel has a goal, two points, 38 hits and 23 blocks in 28 outings in 2023-24. He'll likely serve on the third pairing Saturday.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Suffers injury Monday
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Ruhwedel (undisclosed) was injured in the third period of Monday's 3-0 win over Seattle.
Head coach Mike Sullivan wasn't able to provide an update on Ruhwedel's status following the contest. The 33-year-old defender left the game after taking a hit from behind from Eeli Tolvanen. It's unclear at this time if Ruhwedel will be available to play Saturday versus Vegas.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Posts rare point in win
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Ruhwedel scored on his only shot in Monday's 4-1 win over the Flyers.
Ruhwedel is a stay-at-home defenseman averaging a career low in ice time (12:24). His personal best in points took place in 2021-22 when he added four goals and nine assists through 78 games. Ruhwedel has a pair of points through 25 contests this season.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Off injured reserve
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Ruhwedel (lower body) was removed from injured reserve Saturday, per the NHL media site.
Ruhwedel has an assist, 18 hits and 14 blocks in 15 contests this season. Although this move indicates that he's available, Ruhwedel might be a healthy scratch Saturday versus Toronto.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Traveling with team
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Ruhwedel (lower body) has begun skating and joined the Penguins on their three-game road trip, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports Monday.
Ruhwedel isn't expected to be in action against the Flyers on Monday but could be an option later in the trip if he is cleared to practice with the team. Even if he does receive medical clearance, the blueliner is far from a lock to crack the lineup ahead of Ryan Shea or John Ludvig.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Designated for injured reserve
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Ruhwedel (lower body) has been placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.
Ruhwedel's designation for injured reserve shouldn't come as a surprise considering he was labeled week-to-week by coach Mike Sullivan. By putting the veteran defenseman on IR, the Penguins will be able to either activate John Ludvig (concussion) or call up a blueliner from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Even when healthy, Ruhwedel is far from a lock for the lineup and could find himself serving as a healthy scratch periodically.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Officially labeled week-to-week
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Ruhwedel (lower body) is considered week-to-week according to coach Mike Sullivan, Pens Inside Scoop reports Tuesday.
Ruhwedel's injury comes at a bad time for the Penguins as Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) is already on injured reserve. Unless John Ludvig (concussion) is ready to play against the Rangers on Wednesday, Pittsburgh will need to call up a player from the minors to fill out the third pairing. Ty Smith would likely have the inside track though both Taylor Fedun and Xavier Ouellet have NHL experience.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Suffers lower-body injury
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Ruhwedel left Sunday's game against Vegas with a lower-body injury and did not return.
Ruhwedel logged 10:46 of ice time and two hits before exiting the contest. Head coach Mike Sullivan did not have an update ready on the veteran blueliner after the game. Ruhwedel has one assist in 15 games this season.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Scores first goal of 2022-23
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Ruhwedel netted a goal in a 4-3 victory over Washington on Saturday.
Ruhwedel's marker came midway through the second period to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0. It was his first goal and fifth point in 42 contests this season. Ruhwedel was held off the scoresheet over his previous seven outings. The 32-year-old defenseman hasn't recorded more than 13 points in a single campaign, so he's never been a significant offensive contributor.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Gathers helper
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Ruhwedel logged an assist, two blocked shots and two PIM in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Avalanche.
With injuries piling up on the Penguins' blue line, Ruhwedel has appeared in three straight games. His helper was his first point in his last six contests. The 32-year-old defenseman has five assists, 34 shots on net, 77 hits, 41 blocked shots and a minus-2 rating through 40 appearances. Even when he's in the lineup, he rarely sees more than bottom-four minutes.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Surprising two-point effort
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Ruhwedel recorded two assists in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Islanders.
The veteran defenseman was in and out of the lineup due to injury and went 27 games without getting onto the scoresheet from mid-November through the All-Star break, but he's suddenly produced three helpers in his last three games. Ruhwedel has never had more than 13 points in an NHL season, however, and 2022-23 doesn't figure to break that pattern given his lack of power-play time and bottom-pairing role.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Continuing to play despite slump
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Ruhwedel hasn't recorded a point since Nov. 11 versus Toronto, which is his only point this season.
Ruhwedel has never been an offensive force and frequently serves as the seventh defenseman on the depth chart. Once Jan Rutta (upper body) is cleared to play, Ruhwedel will almost certainly find himself watching from the press box as a healthy scratch.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Departs in second period
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Ruhwedel (undisclosed) exited Tuesday's game versus the Islanders in the second period, Taylor Haase of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Ruhwedel was in and out of the locker room, but left late in the second period and didn't return for the third. The 32-year-old defenseman has just one assist through 17 appearances this season, so he likely won't be missed much in fantasy. If Ruhwedel isn't able to play Wednesday versus the Red Wings, Mark Friedman would likely enter the lineup. Head coach Mike Sullivan clarified Ruhwedel is dealing with an upper-body injury, per Haase.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Held off scoresheet again
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Ruhwedel was blanked against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Ruhwedel has been pressed into service with Kris Letang (illness) sidelined indefinitely but shouldn't be expected to replace Letang's offensive production. In his 10 appearances this year, Ruhwedel has just one helper, seven shots and 13 hits while averaging a mere 13:36 of ice time.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Strong effort against Toronto
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Ruhwedel registered an assist to complement a plus-2 rating in Friday's 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs.
Ruhwedel's playing time has diminished, in no small part because the Penguins appear committed to fast-tracking the development of 2017 first-round pick (No. 23 overall) Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who wound up in Pittsburgh as part of the Phil Kessel trade. However, Joseph is currently dealing with an upper-body injury, and the Pens prioritized work for Ruhwedel ahead of AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton call-up Mark Friedman, at least for the latest contest.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Nets first goal of month
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Ruhwedel added a goal in a 3-2 win over the Blues on Thursday.
Ruhwedel dropped the first goal of the game in this one, scoring 14:42 into the first period. The defenseman also added two PIM and two hits. In 58 contests this season, Ruhwedel has three goals and five assists.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Inks two-year extension
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Ruhwedel signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract extension with Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Ruhwedel's extension begins following the 2021-22 season and keeps him in Pittsburgh through 2023-24. His new deal carries an average annual salary of $800,000. The 31-year-old has tallied six points, delivered a career-high 91 hits, blocked a career-high 43 shots and averaged 15:25 of ice time over 47 games this season.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Exits protocols
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Ruhwedel (COVID-19 protocols) is expected to play Tuesday against Washington, Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Ruhwedel was placed on the COVID-19 list earlier Tuesday but it appears that could've been a false positive. The 31-year-old blueliner is expected to skate in his usual bottom-pair role against the Capitals.
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Penguins' Chad Ruhwedel: Enters COVID-19 protocols
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Ruhwedel was placed in the league's COVID-19 protocols Tuesday, Pens Inside Scoop reports.
Fortunately for Ruhwedel, the Penguins won't play again until Feb. 8 against the Bruins, so he should have time to clear protocols and may avoid missing any additional contests. While the 31-year-old San Diego native is not exactly an offensive stud, he's reached the 10-point threshold just once in his 10-year NHL career, Ruhwedel has been a reliable defensive option. In his stead, Mark Friedman figures to play in just his second game since mid-November.
