Chad Ruhwedel retires after 13-year NHL career
A former champion who had to work his way to the top has hung up his skates.
On Tuesday, longtime NHL defenseman Chad Ruhwedel announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 35.
Chad Ruhwedel is officially calling it a career after going from undrafted to 369 NHL career games 👏
Wishing nothing but the best to Chad in his next chapter! pic.twitter.com/xkF9kqtZdw
“Playing in the NHL has been a dream come true,” Ruhwedel said in a statement. “I’m incredibly grateful to the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers organizations for giving me the opportunity to live that dream. While there have been countless unforgettable moments on the ice, it’s the relationships and friendships built along the way that I cherish most.
“To my family, teammates, coaches, fans and countless others who supported me, thank you for being a part of this amazing journey.”
Ruhwedel’s path to the NHL wasn’t clear-cut. The San Diego native went undrafted, but earned an NHL contract with the Sabres after a solid three years at UMass-Lowell, where he established himself as one of the best blueliners in college hockey.
Ruhwedel spent three years in the Sabres organization, spending the majority of his time with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In the summer of 2016, he moved to Pittsburgh and found instant success on a team that had just won the Stanley Cup. Along with playing some of the 2016-17 campaign with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the former member of the Sioux Falls Stampede played six games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, enough to be part of the Pittsburgh team that took home the franchise’s fifth championship.
He would play most of his seven-plus seasons with the Pens organization in the NHL before being traded to the Rangers in March 2024. This past year, he appeared in just five games for the Blueshirts, with most of the 2024-25 campaign seeing Ruhwedel skate with their primary affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
In 369 NHL regular-season games, Ruhwedel scored 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points, appearing in 25 postseason affairs. In 266 AHL contests, he notched 34 goals and 100 assists for 134 points.