The Rangers shored up their organizational blue line depth Friday, bringing back Chad Ruhwedel on a one-year, two-way deal after acquiring the former Penguin at the trade deadline.
An industry source told The Post that Ruhwedel’s NHL salary will be $775,000, with a total guarantee of $450,000.
Per PuckPedia, that leaves the Rangers with a hair over $7.3 million in cap space, though there is some flexibility with four two-way contracts on the projected roster.
The Rangers spent a 2027 fourth-round pick to get Ruhwedel in March, and the 34-year-old played five games for the Blueshirts.
He did not record a point on Broadway, but scored a goal with three assists over 47 games with the Penguins last season.
The Rangers still have yet to re-sign Braden Schneider and Ryan Lindgren as restricted free agents, but assuming they are able to do so, Ruhwedel currently slots in as the club’s seventh defenseman.
Lindgren was among 14 players to file for arbitration last week ahead of the NHL’s deadline.
Ruhwedel has regularly played that role in the past, most notably during an eight-year stint with the Penguins that included the 2017 Stanley Cup title.
After Erik Gustafsson signed with the Red Wings in free agency, Zac Jones comes into training camp as the likely favorite to take the Swede’s spot on the third pair.
Ruhwedel, though, would currently be favored to start the year on the NHL roster, with likely competition from Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey and Matthew Robertson.
It looked early in the offseason as though a more serious blue line makeover was in store as a deal to send captain Jacob Trouba to Detroit appeared to be on the cards ahead of free agency.
That, however, did not come to pass as Trouba preferred to stay in New York, with his wife’s hospital residency being a factor, per The Post’s Larry Brooks.
Keeping Ruhwedel in the fold is another — albeit much smaller — step in the direction of stability on defense for the Rangers.