Jim Rutherford
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James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and executive. He was the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) where he now currently serves as senior advisor and alternate governor. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Rutherford held the same position with the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes for almost two decades, assuming the position in June 1994 and stepping down from that position in April 2014. He then joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as general manager, having been named to that position on June 6, 2014, and resigning on January 27, 2021, citing "personal reasons". Rutherford has won the Stanley Cup three times as a general manager, with the Hurricanes in 2006 and with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Playing career
Rutherford played in the NHL as a goaltender from 1969 to 1983. Rutherford played primarily with the Detroit Red Wings, but he also spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings.
Rutherford retired as a player in 1983 at the age of 33 with the record of 151-227-59.
Post-playing career
Prior to serving with the Penguins as general manager, Rutherford was the president and general manager, as well as a part-owner of the Carolina Hurricanes – known as the Hartford Whalers until 1997 – having joined the franchise in 1994 and helping build the Hurricanes team that won the Stanley Cup in 2006. Later he helped build the Penguins team that won the Stanley Cup in 2016 and again in 2017.
Rutherford was one of the pioneers of the popular trend of ice hockey goaltenders decorating his mask in 1976. Initially, a friend painted a pair of red wings at the temples of Rutherford's mask without his permission. Because he did not have time to get another fitted mask before game time, he reluctantly wore the decorated mask on the ice. On June 23, 2016, he won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. In 2019, Jim Rutherford was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Rutherford resigned from his post as general manager of the Penguins on January 27, 2021, for personal reasons. He later stated that his passion and focus for the job faded in the eleven months that had followed the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. On December 9, 2021, Rutherford was named president of hockey operations and interim general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.
On May 5, 2026, soon after the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery where the Canucks dropped from 1st to 3rd overall, Rutherford announced that he would be stepping down as president of hockey operations after the Draft, and that he would move into an adviser role.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
| 1966–67 | Aurora Tigers | SJHL | 30 | — | — | — | 1800 | 63 | 2 | 2.10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA-Jr. | 9 | — | — | — | 510 | 19 | 0 | 2.24 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 |
| 1968–69 | Hamilton Red Wings | OHA-Jr. | 45 | — | — | — | 2730 | 163 | 3 | 3.36 | — | 5 | — | — | 300 | 27 | 0 | 5.40 | — |
| 1968–69 | Montréal Jr. Canadiens | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 0 | 366 | 20 | — | 3.28 | — |
| 1969–70 | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 35 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 2,060 | 92 | 1 | 2.68 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 244 | 12 | 0 | 2.95 | — |
| 1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 29 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 1,498 | 94 | 1 | 3.77 | .877 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 3 | — | — | — | 180 | 11 | 0 | 3.66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 40 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 2,160 | 116 | 1 | 3.22 | .894 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 240 | 14 | 0 | 3.50 | .903 |
| 1971–72 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 7 | 0 | 2.33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 49 | 20 | 22 | 5 | 2,660 | 129 | 3 | 2.91 | .912 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 26 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 1,428 | 82 | 0 | 3.45 | .883 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 25 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 1,418 | 86 | 0 | 3.64 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–75 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 59 | 20 | 29 | 10 | 3,475 | 217 | 2 | 3.75 | .877 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 44 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 2,633 | 158 | 4 | 3.60 | .885 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 48 | 7 | 34 | 6 | 2,736 | 180 | 0 | 3.95 | .867 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 43 | 20 | 17 | 4 | 2,466 | 134 | 1 | 3.26 | .880 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 180 | 12 | 0 | 4.01 | .862 |
| 1978–79 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 32 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 1,890 | 103 | 1 | 3.27 | .884 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 23 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 1,321 | 92 | 1 | 4.18 | .854 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 600 | 43 | 0 | 4.30 | .850 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 18 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 959 | 81 | 0 | 5.07 | .853 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 10 | 0 | 3.33 | .896 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 6.00 | .750 |
| 1981–82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 380 | 43 | 0 | 6.79 | .792 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 29 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 1,614 | 89 | 0 | 3.31 | .877 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 7.00 | .821 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 12 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 591 | 44 | 0 | 4.47 | .853 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | 457 | 151 | 227 | 59 | 25,852 | 1575 | 14 | 3.66 | .879 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 440 | 28 | 0 | 3.82 | .883 |
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Canada | WC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 7 | 0 | 4.72 | |
| 1979 | Canada | WC | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 320 | 24 | 0 | 4.50 | |
| Senior totals | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 409 | 31 | 0 | 4.55 |
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from, or, or, or, or
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| PrecededbySteve Andrascik | Detroit Red Wings first-round draft pick 1969 | SucceededbySerge Lajeunesse |
| PrecededbyPaul Holmgren | General manager of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes 1994–2014 | SucceededbyRon Francis |
| PrecededbyJason Botterill (interim) | General manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins 2014–2021 | SucceededbyPatrik Allvin (interim) |
| PrecededbyStan Smyl (interim) | General manager of the Vancouver Canucks (interim) 2021–2022 | SucceededbyPatrik Allvin |