Chad Ruhwedel

For professional athletes, the end of a playing career isn’t a question of if, but when.

Manning School of Business alum Chad Ruhwedel ’15 understood that long before he skated in his final NHL game.

Recently retired after 13 professional seasons, the former UMass Lowell men’s hockey defenseman has begun a new career in business — one he started preparing for years before his playing days were over.

Settled in St. Louis with his family, Ruhwedel is an enterprise account development representative for Rescale, a company specializing in cloud-based high-performance computing. His role involves working with clients on simulation software, a new and evolving space.

“It’s a little over my head, but it’s been a good learning experience so far,” says Ruhwedel, who works alongside former UML teammate and roommate Derek McCoy ’14, a vice president at Rescale.

Originally from San Diego, Ruhwedel developed into one of the top defensemen in Hockey East with the River Hawks. As a junior, he helped lead UML to the Frozen Four in 2013. He earned New England Hockey Writers Association Bob Monahan Defenseman of the Year honors and was named to the Hockey East All-Conference First Team.

That success led him to leave UML a year early to sign with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. But even as his professional hockey career was taking off, Ruhwedel made sure to complete his business degree online the following year.

“That was a non-negotiable for me,” he says. “I definitely wanted to be a UMass Lowell alum and get my college degree, because I knew there was going to be life after hockey at some point.”

Ruhwedel went on to play parts of 13 NHL seasons with Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers, carving out a career defined by consistency and resilience. He was part of the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup championship team, a career highlight among many.

“I was very happy, very content with my pro career,” he says. “I had plenty of ups and downs, but I learned a lot and met a lot of really great people.”

A father of two, Ruhwedel says his hockey career was enriched by having his family close by.

“I was fortunate enough to have my two boys raised around the rink, and they were able to see me play,” he says. “That’s definitely something I can hang my hat on.”

The transition from NHL defenseman to enterprise account development representative has required Ruhwedel to reengage with concepts he first encountered in the Manning School.

“It’s good to be able to look back on and reference some of the things we learned. Having that general knowledge and baseline to fall back on has been helpful,” he says. “It’s been an adjustment for sure, but it’s been a good adjustment.”

Now, Ruhwedel is focused on building what comes next.