When Jim Rutherford was brought in to be the new general for the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was thought to be a stop-gap move. After a letdown first season on the job with then-head coach Mike Johnston manning duties behind the bench, Rutherford turned the Penguins into a Stanley Cup-caliber team. It played out on the ice, too, as the Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks for their fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
As the NHL free agency opens up, it was Rutherford who inked the first deal with the Penguins, as he signed a three-year extension to remain with the club through the 2018-2019 season.
Rutherford, 67, is one of five active general managers to have multiple championships on his resume, per a team-issued press release.
In his tenure with the Penguins, Rutherford has brought in players such as Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, Trevor Daley, Nick Bonino, Carl Hagelin and more.
Rutherford, who played for 13 year, was the general manager with the Carolina Hurricanes for 20 seasons before arriving to Pittsburgh. During that time, he was named the executive of the year in 2002 and 2006 by “The Hockey News.”
In other Penguins news, the team announced that it has signed defenseman Stuart Percy to a one-year, two-way deal for the 2016-2017 season. Percy spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and their AHL-affiliated team, the Toronto Marlies.
Photo credit: @Penguins
