BREAKING: Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford Resigns
Around 1:45 ET, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that long-time General Manager Jim Rutherford would be resigning, effective immediately. Rutherford has stated that the resignation is for personal reasons.
Rutherford was named the GM of the Penguins on June 6, 2014, and helped guide the club towards even more success. Coming from the Carolina Hurricanes where he had won a Stanley Cup in 2006 as GM, Rutherford proved to be a bold and daring general manager in Pittsburgh. He was notorious for always making a big trade either right around the trade deadline or the draft. It was clear to see that most times, he made the right decision when it came to who he was acquiring. The Penguins would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 under Rutherford.
Patrik Allvin, the team's assistant general manager, has been promoted to interim GM, and the search for a new GM will begin immediately, according to the Penguins press release.
“It has been a great honor to serve as general manager of the Penguins, and to hang two more Stanley Cup banners at PPG Paints Arena,” Rutherford said. “I have so many people to thank, beginning with the owners, Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux, and team president David Morehouse. There always has been so much support from everyone involved with the Penguins, both on the hockey and business staffs, and, of course, from a special group of players led by Sidney Crosby. The fans here have been tremendous to me and my family. I know it’s a little unusual to have this happen during a season, but just felt this was the right time to step away.”
The 71-year-old Rutherford was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.