James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. 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.[2] 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,[3] citing "personal reasons".[4] Rutherford has won three Stanley Cups as a general manager, with the Hurricanes in 2006 and with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
Jim Rutherford | |||
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Hockey Hall of Fame, 2019 (Builder) | |||
Rutherford in 2017 | |||
Born |
(1949-02-17) February 17, 1949 (age 73) Beeton, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | ||
Weight | 168 lb (76 kg; 12 st 0 lb) | ||
Position | Goaltender | ||
Caught | Left[1] | ||
Played for |
Detroit Red Wings Pittsburgh Penguins Toronto Maple Leafs Los Angeles Kings | ||
National team |
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NHL Draft |
10th overall, 1969 Detroit Red Wings | ||
Playing career | 1969–1983 |
Rutherford played in the NHL from 1969 to 1983; the majority of his career was spent with the Detroit Red Wings, but he also spent time with the Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Los Angeles Kings. As a goalie Rutherford won 151, lost 227 and tied 59 games.[5] Rutherford retired as a player in 1983 at the age of 33.
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.[6][7][8]
Rutherford was one of the pioneers of the popular trend of hockey goalies 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 didn't have time to get another fitted mask before game time, he reluctantly wore the decorated mask on the ice.
Rutherford has won the Stanley Cup three times as a general manager, in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes, and in 2016 and 2017 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 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 Pittsburgh Penguins on January 27, 2021, due to personal reasons.[9]
On December 9, 2021, Rutherford was named president of hockey operations and interim general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.[10]
Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | 2060 | 92 | 1 | 2.68 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 244 | 12 | 0 | 2.95 | — | ||
1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 29 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 1498 | 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 | 2160 | 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 | 2660 | 129 | 3 | 2.91 | .912 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1973–74 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 26 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 1428 | 82 | 0 | 3.45 | .883 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1973–74 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 25 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 1418 | 86 | 0 | 3.64 | .888 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1974–75 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 59 | 20 | 29 | 10 | 3475 | 217 | 2 | 3.75 | .877 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1975–76 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 44 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 2633 | 158 | 4 | 3.60 | .885 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1976–77 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 48 | 7 | 34 | 6 | 2736 | 180 | 0 | 3.95 | .867 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1977–78 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 43 | 20 | 17 | 4 | 2466 | 134 | 1 | 3.26 | .880 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 180 | 12 | 0 | 4.01 | .862 | ||
1978–79 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 32 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 1890 | 103 | 1 | 3.27 | .884 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1979–80 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 23 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 1321 | 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 | 1614 | 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 |
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 |
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by | Detroit Red Wings first round draft pick 1969 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | General manager of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes 1994–2014 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by Jason Botterill (interim) |
General manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins 2014–2021 |
Succeeded by Patrik Allvin (interim) |
Preceded by Stan Smyl (interim) |
General manager of the Vancouver Canucks (interim) 2021–2022 |
Succeeded by |
General managers of the National Hockey League | |
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