Defenseman who played many years with Penguins shockingly placed on waivers

Long-time defenseman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who now plays with the Rangers, was surprisingly placed on waivers today for the purpose of reassignment.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the New York Rangers have placed veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on waivers with the intention of sending him to their AHL affiliate in Hartford. This suggests the Rangers are looking to shake up their depth chart as they continue to tinker with their defensive lineup early on in the season.

Of course, should Ruhhedel pass through waivers, this would be his first return to AHL action since the 2018-19 season. To this date, the 34-year-old defenseman has been a bottom-pairing player or healthy scratch more often than not in the NHL, having spent a good majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Undrafted out of UMass-Lowell, Ruhwedel first entered the league via a free-agent signing with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. When his opportunities were limited with Buffalo, he joined the Penguins in 2016, cementing himself as a dependable, stay-at-home type.

In his time with the Penguins, Ruhwedel has contributed both in the NHL and its top minor-league affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, suiting up for 33 games at the latter stop. In the NHL, he has played in 326 games, having 47 points and 90 penalty minutes. He is a physical player, averaging 1.73 hits a game. With the Penguins missing the playoffs in 2023 and his contract coming to an end, they moved him to the Rangers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick.

Following the trade, Ruhwedel served in a minor capacity for the Rangers down the stretch run of the 2023-24 season, playing only five regular-season games. He averaged 14:08 of ice time per game but was not in the team's plans during the postseason. Although an unrestricted free agent for a period of time, the Rangers ultimately re-signed him to a one-year, two-way deal, giving him another opportunity to fight for a place on their blueline.

With Ryan Lindgren returning from injured reserve and the emergence of rookie Victor Mancini in the lineup, Ruhwedel has ended up on the outside looking in. He played only one game in the Rangers' first six, skating over 14 minutes against the Maple Leafs, but his future with the team is now most uncertain.

Placing Chad Ruhwedel on waivers reflects depth over structure in the ever-changing D-core for the Rangers. Having given his body to the grind of the league year after year, he has been slowly pushed out of the rotation by not only the up-and-coming youngsters but returning seasoned veterans as well. At this rate, he may again find his way into the AHL for the first time in five years looking to prove himself.

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