A baker’s dozen of NHL seasons have seen their skates hung up.
Chad Ruhwedel announced his retirement from the league on Tuesday after playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers.
Ruhwedel broke in as an undrafted player with the Sabres out of UMass-Lowell. He played 33 games across four seasons with Buffalo.
From there, he went to Pittsburgh. Ruhwedel appeared in 326 games with the Penguins, notching 13 goals and 34 assists to go with 563 hits and 297 blocked shots.
Ruhwedel then spent parts of two seasons with the Rangers, playing five games apiece in both the 2023-24 season and 2024-25 season for New York.
And now, Ruhwedel has decided that’s it for him, with the 35-year old defenseman sharing a statement to announce the news, via the NHLPA.
“Playing in the NHL has been a dream come true,” Ruhwedel wrote. “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.”
Ruhwedel finished his statement like this:
“To my family, teammates, coaches, fans and countless others who supported me, thank you for being a part of this amazing journey.”
Ruhwedel had been a free agent for most of the summer before deciding that this was it.
To go from undrafted to a 13-year NHL career, with lots more action in the AHL, is a remarkable accomplishment, and Ruhwedel can hang up his skates with pride.
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