As of Monday morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a workable roster that complied with the NHL’s wage cap. However, their protection may just nonetheless have some shifting portions. For Chad Ruhwedel, that might imply a number of issues by means of Thursday’s season opener in opposition to Arizona, now not all of them superb.
One factor stays consistent and true for Ruhwedel: After years of being affected person and chronic, he after all spent all of remaining season in the Penguins’ most sensible six, and no person can take that clear of him.
“At the end of the day, it’s a lot more fun, every night playing, being with the guys, going to war with them,” Ruhwedel mentioned. “That’s probably the best way I’d describe it.”
At the finish of remaining season, when gamers met with journalists prior to scattering for the summer season, Ruhwedel was once just about emotional speaking about his season as an ordinary, that pinnacle bankruptcy of his skilled legacy, after being a perennial No. 7, or even now and then No. 8, on the Penguins’ intensity chart.
After all, reaching that previous age 30 isn’t unhealthy for an undrafted man from San Diego, decidedly now not a hockey hotbed.
Ruhwedel performed in 78 video games in 2021-22. His maximum in a season prior to that was once 44 in 2017-18. Last season additionally earned him a brand new contract that kicks on this season, price $800,000 a 12 months thru 2023-24.
On most sensible of that, Ruhwedel was once a slightly new dad to a son remaining season after navigating the COVID-19 pandemic together with his younger circle of relatives.
Ruhwedel, 32, doesn’t have the pedigree of P.O Joseph, who stays on the roster after a pair strikes Sunday. He doesn’t have the feisty edge of Mark Friedman or the early life and upside of Ty Smith, each of whom landed in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
And he hasn’t been on one of the common most sensible 3 pairings during coaching camp.
Ruhwedel is one of the ones secure, dependable defensive defensemen whose recreation is most likely perfect measured when he isn’t overly spotted on any given evening. He has 11 objectives, 40 issues in 265 video games in his profession, which started in Buffalo and has persevered in Pittsburgh the previous six seasons.
Mostly as a reserve man. Which is why it was once so significant to be an ordinary remaining season.
The Penguins, then again, made some strikes right through the offseason. Mike Matheson and John Marino are long past. Newcomer Jeff Petry turns out entrenched on the 2nd pairing. Smith and any other newcomer, Jan Rutta, appeared to have the 3rd pairing locked down prior to Smith was once demoted Sunday – a transfer facilitated by means of the incontrovertible fact that Smith didn’t have to transparent waivers.
Joseph continues to be on the roster.
What may occur between now and Thursday’s opener stays to be noticed, however there’s unquestionably a great opportunity Ruhwedel will revert to being the Penguins’ No. 7 and even No. 8 defenseman.
At least the groups is aware of he’ll be the consummate additional. Before he were given his shot in the most sensible six, Ruhwedel drew lots of reward over the years from Penguins workforce and teammates for being extremely skilled about his state of affairs, in addition to adept at suiting up for video games at a second’s realize and now not appearing any rust or hesitation.
How did he do this?
“Just staying ready and aspiring to get back in the top six,” Ruhwedel mentioned. “It’s a day by day undertaking, and it may be exhausting now and then, but it surely’s without a doubt one thing to attempt for. The motivation’s there. It’s transparent.
“I just go about my business, do what I have to do in practice. I’ve found over the years that stuff tends to play out. You just control what you can. That’s the mentality I’ve had.”
Not that it’s simple to be a group’s 7th defenseman. Being in the most sensible six has nice advantages.
“Just the rhythm you get, confidence playing every night – everything just kind of feeds off each other,” Ruhwedel mentioned. “It’s definitely something I look back on and try to get back to.”
If Ruhwedel has to take a step again, he nonetheless can have a chance to play. No group makes it thru a season the usage of simply six defensemen, and that’s unquestionably been true of the Penguins. Things occur.
“It’s a long season. Lot of injuries all over the place,” Ruhwedel mentioned. “I think most teams have learned that. We always end up using six, seven, eight, nine, however many defensemen throughout the season.”
Like everybody else, Ruhwedel will likely be gazing to see what different strikes the Penguins may make that might impact his position amongst the defensemen. The group’s Monday observe is in the night time, so the place he traces up then following Sunday’s strikes may just be offering some clues.
Regardless, Ruhwedel would now not need to be anyplace else.
“Great group of guys. Fortunate to be part of this organization,” he mentioned.
