The Penguins signed veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to a one-year contract extension for the 2021-22 season at a cap hit of $750,000. His current contract, which runs through the upcoming season, carries a charge of $700,000.
“Chad is a reliable, depth defenseman who is a great teammate,” said GM Jim Rutherford. “He keeps himself in great shape and is always game-ready, which is important for a player in his role and the success of our team.”
Originally signed by the Pens back in 2016, the 30-year-old San Diego native has been an effective performer for the black and gold. In 137 games spread over four seasons, he’s tallied seven goals and 23 points to go with a Corsi for of 50.6.
Ruhwedel’s primary strength is his ability to sit for long stretches, then come in and play at or near the top of his game. Which makes him ideally suited for the role of seventh defenseman. Although not a standout in any particular area, he possesses decent hockey sense and puck skills and can skate and move the puck.
Despite a smallish frame (5’11” 191), he’s surprisingly physical (74 hits in 41 games this season) and will jolt opposing forwards with an occasional hip check. And he’s a coveted right-hand shot.
Thrust into service due to injuries, Ruhwedel teamed with Juuso Riikola during the past season to form a decent tandem while receiving sheltered minutes. The Pens logged a respectable 20-9-4 record in the 33 games they were paired.
With free agent Justin Schultz sure to depart, right-side prospects Josh Maniscalco and Will Reilly at least a year or two away and ownership seeking to trim payroll, is there an outside chance Ruhwedel will be asked to man a top-six slot for the coming season?
I’d say yes.
Will Chad be up to the task? That’s a tough one. Especially if he’s deployed next to franchise lightning rod Jack Johnson, who endured a difficult second half (minus-15 in his last 37 games including the postseason).
A Passing Thought
Perhaps I should title this section “Things That Go Clank.” As in pucks thudding off stick blades.
This is entirely my perception and I could be all wet. But it seems to me that our Pens, skilled as they are, aren’t an especially good passing team.
Not that I’m bemoaning the trade of Phil Kessel. It was his time to go. But “the Thrill” was an outstanding passer and playmaker.
My sense is that Dominik Kahun was, too. He just seemed very crisp and sure with the puck. While we’re at it, the player he was acquired for, Olli Maatta, was a very accurate passer.
Maybe it was the way Montreal shut us down in the postseason and denied us access to the prime scoring areas. Too, the Scotiabank Arena ice was far from pristine. But it seemed to me we morphed into a collection of chip-and-chase muckers who couldn’t string two passes together.
Anyone else have the same perception?
Hi Rick,
Something floating around from the rumor mill that Bob Nutting has purchased the Penguins. Supposedly to be announced Tuesday. I hope it’s just a rumor or we’ll soon be watching the Pirates on ice.
— 55
Wow 55,
Can’t imagine for one second that would happen. But in these crazy times…
You would think if that were the case, word would’ve leaked out. But I’ll feel safer when Tuesday passes.
Nutting would release all of the Penguins to cut payroll and have the Pirates compete in both sports. Top line…Josh Bell centering for Gregory Polanco and Colin Moran.
Hey, at least we’d have some size … lol
Rick
Hi Rick,
I totally agree with your assessment of their passing. I’ve been saying they aren’t a good passing team for several years. I think it’s been a glaring weakness for a while. Sometimes they down right stink in that department. My sons get tired of hearing it. It’s hockey 101 stuff, stuff I don’t think they pay enough attention to.
As for Ruhwedel, I have no problem with the signing. I always thought he was a good seventh D-man, dependable and always ready to play. Can’t ask for more for that price.
— 55
Hey 55 and Mike,
Thanks for backing me up. It just seems like we really have trouble connecting on passes…especially in the slot and between the circles. Maybe it goes hand in hand with needing bigger and stronger guys to have success in those areas.
Even relatively skilled guys like Jason Zucker don’t seem to be particularly “handsy” or adept at passing the puck. For all his gaudy point totals, I never thought Kris Letang was very good at distributing the puck. Especially on the power play.
Rick
Hey Rick, 55, and Mike,
I agree that passing is a problem. I have long bemoaned the players for waiting for the pass to come to them and having opponents pick off the slow passes. Part of that is because the passes are, as you say not crisp. Maybe the team needs to go back to basics and practice passing and receiving passed (soft hands).
My complaint below was just that with all the holes on this team that need addressed, JR really doesn’t have the time to spend negotiating an extension to a spare part.
Sorry 55, I don’t hate on Ruhwedel, I do think he fills the role of a depth defenseman but more of an 8 or 9 man on a team that is a real contender. I am sorry but if this team is seriously trying to commit to win now, Ruhwedel will neither make nor break them.
They haven’t had a legit 3rd line Center since Bonino. McCann failed, like Guentzel did when they tried to make him the 3rd line Center. Both guys are far more valuable on the wing. Bjugstad is a Beau Bennett injury poster-child and may not even play this season, recovering from his surgery. Blueger is a 4th liner.
Also, if the team is truly committed to “Win Now” it has to really think about the Goalie situation. DeSmith is not a good option for a back-up in a deep Cup run. If the team really wants to move on from Murray, they need to find a real back up or forego the idea of a Cup run this year.
If the team is truly committed to try and be a contender, Letang as well as Schultz have to move on. Yes Ruhwedel is a RHD like Letang and Schultz but again he is a very deep depth man, they need to find legit replacements for Letang and Schultz.
I understand your thought process Mike that signing Ruhwedel could be a prelude to a throw in a trade. If we were talking about McCann I would agree with you, getting him under contract as trade bait would be essential. But I am sure most teams with players that could help with a Cup run have 1 or more Ruhwedels in their organizations.
If they don’t have a Ruhwedel in their Org, then maybe JR shouldn’t be trading with them.
The Other Rick
This is the difference of being inside the organization verse being on the outside. Their are variables and planning that go into every move made that we’re not privy to.
It’s always easy to second guess or nit-pick when you don’t have any of the facts. Lets see what changes are made going forward.
Murray should be next to get the boot. Not sure what his value is on the open market due to his injury issues – I would probably take a 2nd or 3rd round pick, an established Defenseman or a solid two-way 3rd line center and call it a day.
My dream trade would be Murray, Letang and either ZAR or Simon going to Buffalo or Calgary and getting a couple of legit
dudes in return.
GO PEN’S
Hey Mike,
Believe me I do understand about moves being made behind closed doors and only those at the higher places within knowing. Even people in the lower places within the Org not knowing. I have been in on many of those types of meetings in non-sports businesses.
The bottom line is results. I am sure there were things going on behind the scenes last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, as well, but the team still went backwards – losing earlier and earlier in the playoffs until they effectively didn’t make it.
As for fact, let’s face it, what is going on right now isn’t fact based. Everything going on to try and better a team is guess work. No one knows who is going to mesh with who, what players are going to get injured, who is a good fit for a particular system, which kids will really develop, or how the other teams around the league are evolving as well. It is all supposition.
All we, on the outside, can do is wait and see what JR et al do and then 2nd guess and nit – pick when (as their recent track record indicates they will do) they fail.
After all that is what blogs are for, the faithful to rejoice and revel when the team wins and 2nd guess and nit pick when they fail. And that is what you are doing with your Murray and ZAR bashing.
I too would like to shed Letang and Simon. ZAR I am Okay with trading, like Ruhwedel, he is roughly a spare part. There has to be a half a dozen other players in the organization about equal to him or better.
As for Murray, I may trade but I would not give him the boot. I would trade him so that he could get away from the hatred uninformed (about goaltending) fans spew at him. But I would only trade him if I thought the Cup window was closed and went into reboot mode or if I could find a legitimate back-up. (DeSmith is not a back up for a Cup contender. I only go with him as back-up if I concede the season.)
I am not sure what Murray’s value would be in the trade market either but Kingarski is speculating that if he goes to arbitration they will say pay him $5 – $6 million.
There was some suggestion that Calgary and Edmonton could be destinations for Murray. I prefer Edmonton and Lavoie in exchange but they are suggesting a D man. They don’t have D men I would want in PGH.
For Calgary they are suggesting Sam Bennett, but the Pens are heavy in Lefties. I only make that trade if Zucker goes in the package. The team doesn’t need Guentzel, Zucker, and Bennett, particularly with Poulin in the wings.
As for Buffalo, the only player I would want (other than maybe Eichel, Dahlin, or Reinhart) would be Ristolainen and with Buf looking to sign both Dahlin and Reinhart, they may be willing to deal.
Rick – Hope all is well.
Totally agree with your assessment of our playmaking abilities and as much as
I despise Simon as a player maybe his passing and playmaking ability is what
keeps him around.
As for Ruhwedel now that he’s signed it may be easier to use him as a throw
in on a potential trade. I think the Pen’s will pick up an established right handed
Defenseman for the 3rd pairing.
Just my observation
Hey Rick,
Nice write up.
1st Question: Why? Ruhwedel was still signed through this season, and I am sure that there wouldn’t be a whole lot of GMs clamoring at his door next summer with massive offers. Ruhwedel is no longer a kid, he is 30 years old and to date has played 170 games in 8 seasons – less than 20 games per season. He has never been good enough to play more than 44 in any of those seasons. His Corsi is a hair above 50% but his O-zone starts is also above 50% – seems to me that the Corsi are more of a reflection of where he started the shift than any skill level.
2nd Question: Is a 30 year old RHD man who has only played 170 games in 8 season really going to be any better than a Josh Maniscalco, Will Reilly, or Jesper Lindgren next season? Yes next season, not this season.
Remember when Maniscalco was signed, he was being hailed the next John Marino.
So, again what was the hurry in signing Ruhwedel to an extension.
3rd Q: IS Ruhwedel better than Trotman? Both D – men average 3 G and 9 A for an 82 Game season. Ruhwedel is a -4 in his career while Trotman is a +1. Ruhwedel averages 122 Hts and 73 Blks per 82 GP while Trotman averages 143 Hits and 101 Blks. The only area that Ruhwedel really beats Trotman is in Gv 27 – 31, but the difference is rather insignificant. So, if Ruhwedel had signed somewhere else next season, would the team really miss him?
I know is is only $700,000 and in hockey that is a bit of a drop in the bucket, but the time spent signing a spare part should have been spent figuring out what to do about the Goalie situation, the 3rd line Center, and the RHD position. Yes the RHD position – Ruhwedel is not even a 6th and the team is losing Schultz and Letang has become too expensive for the team, so they need more than a 7th/8th player.
Not really trying to dis Ruhwedel, he has done the best he could but that is why we lost to the 24th team in the league, nearly getting swept in the process and getting shutout with only 22 shots in the elimination game, too many Chad Ruhwedels and not enough higher quality players.
The Other Rick
The Ruhwedel signing is away to get a guy you like that’s dependable and you
can rely on him in a pinch. He has a ton of experience and every team needs
support players and he comes at the right price. Obviously they like him and
he’s a good guy to have around the team.
Also, Ruhwedel has played in 137 games for the Pen’s while Trotman has only
seen action in 24 – Experience I’m sure is a factor for a 7th or 8th DMan.