Penguins GM abruptly steps down
Jim Rutherford arrived in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2014 tasked with jumpstarting a star-laden but stalled franchise to life.
By the end of his third season as GM, the Penguins became the first team in a generation to win consecutive Stanley Cup titles.
Those banners will serve as long-lasting reminders of the success of Rutheford’s tenure, one that came to an abrupt end Wednesday when the 71-year-old Hall of Famer resigned just two weeks into the abbreviated 2021 season.
Rutherford, whose contract was set to expire in June, cited “personal reasons” behind the decision. He told team president and CEO David Morehouse on Tuesday night and confirmed it again when the two spoke Wednesday morning.
“It just got to a point that I decided my time was up here,” Rutherford told The AP.
Rutherford, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, stressed the move had nothing to do with his health. He declined to get into specifics about whether his longterm status had anything to do with his exit.
The club promoted assistant general manager Patrik Allvin to serve as general manager on an interim basis while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
Rutherford had been Penguins GM since the 2014-15 season. The Penguins made the playoffs in each of his six seasons, winning Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
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