Ron Hextall and the Penguins successfully completed a good piece of business yesterday when they re-signed depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel on a two-year contract worth 800k per season.
The Penguins have re-signed defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to a two-year contract extension.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 19, 2022
The one-way deal will kick in following the 2021.22 season and run through the 2023.24 season, carrying an average annual value of $800,000.
Details: https://t.co/p77C78Gocn pic.twitter.com/txTnXKUmMc
Ruhwedel has quietly gone about his business since leaving the Sabres and being acquired by the Penguins. This is a compliment because anytime a depth defenseman is going about things quietly it usually means they are doing a good job and Ruhwedel has.
Nothing fancy here, but there doesn’t have to be. You are seeing a bottom pairing defender get bottom pairing usage and succeeding. For a team like the Penguins who need to be wise about how they spend money this is about as good as you can do for 800k. It is a set it and forget it kind of signing.
I think Ruhwedel could have probably gotten a raise if he hit the market. Although, he must really enjoy playing in Pittsburgh because a few years back he couldn’t break into the lineup and despite never playing he reupped on a two-year deal to stay with the Penguins. Whatever the reasons he should continue to help eat some minutes for Mike Sullivan in his bottom pairing role.
Thanks for reading!