Penguins Defenseman Chad Ruhwedel Being Evaluated for Upper-Body Injury

The Pittsburgh Penguins were forced to finish their brutal loss against the New York Islanders without a complete lineup.

According to head coach Mike Sullivan, Penguins’ defenseman Chad Ruhwedel is being evaluated for an upper-body injury.

Ruhwedel left after missing a portion of the first period and just one shift in the second.

It was early in the first period when Ruhwedel took a big collision from Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom.

Ruhwedel played his way through the remainder of the frame but Wahlstrom left right away, only playing in a total of 24 seconds for the contest.

After a single shift in the second, Ruhwedel’s night was done and the Penguins defenders were forced to rotate around for the remainder of the game.

Ruhwedel has appeared in 17 games this season and has recorded a single assist.

If the Penguins are unable to get Ruhwedel back on the ice soon, they have Mark Friedman at their disposal.

Friedman has been recalled a couple of times this year but is yet to make his season debut.

With the Penguins half way through a back-to-back, it looks like the perfect time to give Friedman his chance in the lineup.