Kalamazoo welcomes two rookies and a former Central Division foe to its training camp roster.
With training camp getting underway next week, the Kalamazoo Wings have announced that defenseman Chays Ruddy, rookie forward Cameron Buhl and rookie defenseman Tommy Budnick have signed Professional Tryout Contracts for the 2024-25 season.
Ruddy, a Cobourg, ON native, played in the ECHL for the Orlando Solar Bears and the SPHL with Fayetteville and Evansville last season, totaling four goals with eight assists and 52 penalty minutes in 33 games. He added two goals and an assist in five playoff contests for Evansville.
“Chays Ruddy is a defensive defenseman,” Joel Martin, Kalamazoo Wings head coach and director of hockey operations, said. “He’s a team-first player that plays a physical brand of hockey.”
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound fourth-year pro debuted with Fort Wayne in 2021-22 before a midseason trade to Kansas City, finishing the year with six assists and 81 penalty minutes in 49 games.
In 2022-23, Ruddy saw time with Manchester (EIHL), Cincinnati and Toledo, scoring one goal with six assists and 52 penalty minutes in 42 games.
“I’ve had the privilege of playing in front of the Wings’ fans before,” Ruddy said following his signing. “There was always tremendous energy in the building and I’m excited to be able to embrace the cheers rather than the boos.”
The defenseman played two seasons of collegiate hockey at the University of Windsor (2018-20), finishing with two goals and seven assists with 92 penalty minutes in 47 games.
Buhl, 25, is a 5-foot-10, 174-pound St. Paul, MN native who spent the last five seasons at St. Lawrence University, where he scored 23 goals with 29 assists in 136 career games.
“Cameron Buhl is a feisty forward that possesses some natural scoring ability,” Martin said.
The rookie led St. Lawrence in assists (10) and points (15) in 17 games as a sophomore in 2020-21, helping the Saints to an ECAC championship. He later led the team in power play goals with six in 2022-23.
“I am super excited to play for the K-Wings,” Buhl said. “They have a storied history here in Kalamazoo of winning and being one of the best teams every year.”
The 20-year-old Budnick is a 6-foot-1, 209-pounder who split time in 2023-24 between Kingston and Guelph (OHL), totaling three goals with 18 assists and 82 penalty minutes in 63 games played along with four penalty minutes in four playoff games for Guelph.
The rookie spent 2021-22 and 2022-23 with Kingston, scoring 20 points (2-18-20) with 56 penalty minutes in 68 games in his first OHL season. He followed that with a 16-point (3-13-16) campaign in ‘22-23 with 64 penalty minutes in 56 appearances.
Raised in Petoskey, Michigan, the defender now returns to his home state to begin his professional career.
“Tommy Budnick plays with an edge,” Martin said. “He skates well and has a good shot.”