Penguins trade defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to Rangers for 4th-round pick in 2027

Soon after the Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice at their practice facility Friday in Cranberry, the reason for defenseman Chad Ruhwedel’s absence soon became apparent.

Shortly after noon, a few hours in advance of the NHL trade deadline, the Penguins announced Ruhwedel had been traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 2027.

The Penguins have acquired a 2027 fourth-round draft pick from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. pic.twitter.com/5PLREYL2CI

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 8, 2024

Ruhwedel, 33, appeared in 47 games for the Penguins this season, scoring a goal with three assists.

He was in his eighth season in Pittsburgh and played 34 games during the 2016-17 season, which saw the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.

Ruhwedel dressed for 326 games with the Penguins, deploying primarily on the third defensive pairing.

At times over the years, he was the odd man out on the Penguins’ blue line, but he managed to carve out a long-term role with the club.

“Chad has been a great Pittsburgh Penguin for a long time,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s a great teammate, he’s a great pro. Speaking for myself, we’re really appreciative of what Chad’s done to help this Penguins organization be what it is. It’s built around people, and he’s one of the great ones in my mind. We want to wish him well with his next endeavor.”

Ruhwedel saw his most action in 2021-22, when he skated in 78 games and scoring four goals with nine assists.

Ruhwedel is in the final season of a two-year contract worth $800,000 annually.

A native of San Diego, Calif., Ruhwedel went undrafted after playing collegiately for UMass Lowell.

He played the first four years of his NHL career from 2012-16 with the Buffalo Sabres before signing as a free agent with Pittsburgh ahead of the 2016-17 campaign.

“I feel like people overlooked what he meant inside this locker room and the kind of mood that he brought every day,” said fellow defenseman Marcus Pettersson. “Just the work ethic that he has. Just a true pro. He means a lot to a lot of people. A lot of people won with him here. He’s a great friend to all of us.”

His departure comes on the heels of a trade of forward Jake Guentzel, who was shipped to Carolina late Thursday in exchange for forward Michael Bunting, three prospects and two draft picks.

The Rangers (40-18-4) sit atop the Metropolitan Division standings.