The Rangers have acquired defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from Pittsburgh for a 2027 4th round pick.
He is averaging 12:33 per game this season.
On NHL Network, Brian Boyle, who played with Ruhwedel in Pittsburgh said “he’s the ultimate pro, a great culture guy, great culture setter. He knows what he is, obviously not a superstar in the league wit what he is going to bring offensively. He can do a number of different things, he will do whatever it takes to kill a penalty, I’ll give him that, a great PKer, mobile, a great pro. He’s really solid, he can be trusted in any situation, maybe not if you are down a goal late in the game with what they have on D, but int terms of killing penalties and physicality, he is a great pro in the room and a pickup that might be underrated.
From the Rangers:
- Ruhwedel, 33, has collected one goal and three assists for four points in 47 games with the Penguins this season.
- On Pittsburgh, the 5-11, 191 pounder’s 75 hits rank tied for fourth and his 37 blocked shots rank tied for sixth. In addition, his 2:01 minutes of shorthanded time-on-ice per game is the highest of his career.
- The San Diego, California native has appeared in 359 career NHL games between the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, recording 13 goals and 36 assists for 49 points. In 2021-22, Ruhwedel posted career-highs in games played (78), goals (4), assists (9), points (13), hits (149), and blocked shots (86).
- A 2017 Stanley Cup Champion, Ruhwedel has appeared in 25 career postseason contests, including a career-best 12 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- Ruhwedel was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Sabres in 2013 following a three-year collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where he served as an alternate captain in his final season.
Adam Rotter: Here is some defensive depth on the right side. The Rangers don’t have a ton of defensive depth overall, but especially on the right side. Ruhwedel is a veteran and a Cup winner, so he brings some experience, but I get the feeling that if the Rangers have to rely on Ruhwedel to play anything more than sporadically they won’t be in a great spot. He can step in when needed, but he’s not someone that the Rangers want to rely on heavily.