Penguins sign veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to two-year extension

Chad Ruhwedel has been a serviceable depth defenseman for the Penguins for the last several seasons and he has been rewarded for his efforts as Pittsburgh announced that it has inked the veteran to a two-year contract extension. The one-way deal will run through 2023-24 and carry a cap hit of $800,000. GM Ron Hextall released the following statement about the signing:

Chad exemplifies what it means to be a teammate. His work ethic and positive attitude never waver and we are happy he will be a part of our team for the next couple of years.

After being more of a depth defender over his first five seasons with Pittsburgh, the 31-year-old has basically been a regular this season, playing in all but four of Pittsburgh’s 51 games, setting a career high in that regard. Ruhwedel hasn’t put up much offensively – just six points – but he is averaging more than 15 minutes a night while averaging nearly two hits and a little over one block per game.