"Chad is a reliable, depth defenseman who is a great teammate," Rutherford said. "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."
The 5-foot-11, 191-pound Ruhwedel appeared in 41 games for the Penguins last year, recording two goals, four assists, six points and a plus-4. His 41 games played were just three shy of tying his career high set in 2017-18, while his two goals tied a career high previously set in 2016-17 and then again in 2017-18.
A 2017 Stanley Cup Champion, the 30-year-old Ruhwedel has appeared in 18 career postseason contests, including a career-best 12 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His NHL playoff debut came in Game 6 of the 2017 Second Round against Washington, and he was in the lineup when Pittsburgh earned a Game 7 road victory against the Capitals at the Verizon Center.
The San Diego, California native broke into the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres organization as an undrafted free agent following a three-year collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where he served as an alternate captain in his final season. Ruhwedel has appeared in a combined 170 career NHL regular-season games between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, netting 25 points (7G-18A).
