Chad James Ruhwedel (born May 7, 1990) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers.
Ruhwedel started playing youth ice hockey at the San Diego Ice Arena while a resident of Scripps Ranch.[1][2] He later played for the San Diego Junior Gulls and La Jolla Jaguars as a youth, before playing for the Los Angeles Kings U18 AAA team. After juniors, he played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL, earning a Division I college hockey scholarship to UMass Lowell. Ruhwedel played at UMass Lowell from 2010 to 2013. He was named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team in 2010–11, 2011–12, and 2012–13.[3][4][5] In 2011–12 he was a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star,[6] and in 2012–13 he was a Hockey East First-Team All-Star,[7] and an AHCA East First-Team All-American.[8] He also won the Bob Monahan Award as the best defenseman in New England.[9]
On April 13, 2013, Ruhwedel signed a two-year entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Sabres.[10] He made his NHL debut that night against the Philadelphia Flyers as a replacement for an injured Tyler Myers.[11] Over his seven games with the Sabres, he record no points, no penalties, and finished with an even plus-minus rating.[12]
Ruhwedel returned to Buffalo in July to participate in the Sabres’ development camp but was not expected to make their opening night roster.[12] On September 23, Ruhwedel was re-assigned to the Sabres American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, to start the 2013–14 season.[13] Through his first month in the AHL, Ruhwedel was often paired with Brayden McNabb and played in all situations including the power play and penalty kill. Ruhwedel accumulated two goals and two assists for four points through October and early November.[14] While Ruhwedel was finding success in the AHL, the Sabres maintained a losing 7–23–3 record and had fired coach Ron Rolston and general manager Darcy Regier. On December 17, Ruhwedel was recalled to the NHL level as part of an ongoing player evaluation being conducted by interim coach Ted Nolan.[15] At the time of the recall, Ruhwedel had recorded four goals and 10 assists for 14 points through 26 games.[16] He earned another recall to the NHL level in January[17] but recorded no points over seven games.[18]
Ruhwedel was recalled to the NHL level on March 8, 2014, after Alexander Sulzer suffered a lower-body injury.[18] He recorded his first career NHL assist off a goal by Jamie McBain on April 4.[19] The following game Ruhwedel suffered a concussion after Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo delivered a hit to the head during a game. As a result of the hit, Rinaldo received a four game suspension and Ruhwedel was sidelined for the remainder of the season.[20] While recovering from the concussion, Ruhwedel signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the Sabres organization. As a restricted free agent, he had previously received a qualifying offer from the Sabres the month before to retain his playing rights. Ruhwedel finished the 2013–14 season with one assist at the NHL level and 28 points with the Rochester Americans.[21]
At the conclusion of his contract with the Sabres, on July 1, 2016, Ruhwedel signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way deal with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.[22] He scored his first National Hockey League goal on December 23, 2016, in a 4–1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.[23] He split his time during 2016–17 season playing 28 games in minors for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and 34 games Pittsburgh in the NHL. He would play six playoff games. Ruhwedel suffered a concussion in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Ottawa Senators, and missed the rest of the season.[24] The Penguins would go on to win the Stanley Cup for the second straight season; since Ruhwedel spent 1/3 of the season in the American Hockey League (AHL), he did not get his name on the cup. Pittsburgh did give him a day with the Stanley Cup, and a Stanley Cup ring.[25]
On June 22, 2017, the Penguins re-signed Ruhwedel to a two-year, $1.3 million extension with an annual average value of $650,000.[26]
On February 19, 2022, the Penguins re-signed Ruhwedel to a two-year, $1.6 million extension with an annual average value of $800,000.[27]
On March 8, 2024, Ruhwedel was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for the a 2027 fourth-round pick.[28]
Following a 2024–25 season spent primarily with the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, Ruhwedel announced his retirement from hockey on August 12, 2025.[29]
Ruhwedel was raised in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego and attended Scripps Ranch High School, where he starred on the roller hockey team.[30]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2007–08 | Los Angeles Jr. Kings | 18U AAA | ||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 55 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 58 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | UMass Lowell River Hawks | HE | 32 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | UMass Lowell River Hawks | HE | 37 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | UMass Lowell River Hawks | HE | 41 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 47 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 72 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 59 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 28 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 34 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2017–18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 44 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 41 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 78 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 47 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 47 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | New York Rangers | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | New York Rangers | NHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 50 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 369 | 13 | 37 | 50 | 94 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| USHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2010 | |
| College | ||
| Hockey East First Team | 2013 | |
| AHCA East First-Team All-American | 2013 | |
| Hockey East All-Tournament Team | 2013 | [31] |
, which can be traced back to his roller hockey days at Scripps Ranch High School, his alma mater.
