CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Chad Ruhwedel never will have to craft a Norris Trophy acceptance speech.
He won't have to back out of plans for a family getaway because he's been selected to play in an All-Star Game, either.
And there's not much chance that he'll ever be a dominant presence in a Penguins highlights video.
Third-pairing defensemen don't often have to worry about such things.
But much like bottom-six forwards, guys who work on the No. 3 pairing have a value that often is greater than their public profile, especially on successful teams.