Jim Rutherford served as general manager of the Penguins from June 2014 to January 2021, overseeing a period that saw the Penguins pivot from several playoff disappoints to a pair of championships that elevated the franchise among the league’s most-successful since the 1967 Expansion. Known for his bold moves and strategic thinking, Rutherford played a pivotal role in shaping the Penguins into perennial contenders.
When Pittsburgh won its Stanley Cup championship in 2016, Rutherford had completely retooled the roster from his first year on the job, acquiring the likes of Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino, Trevor Daley, Carl Hagelin and Justin Schultz. Combined with promoting Mike Sullivan to head coach in December 2015 and further bolstering the club’s roster with key reinforcements from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Matt Murray, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary and more – Rutherford helped change the identity of Pittsburgh’s attack. Those moves helped earn him the 2016 NHL General Manager of the Year Award.
One year later in 2017, Rutherford guided the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships — a feat the Penguins hadn’t accomplished since 1992 and no team had accomplished in the Salary Cap Era. Rutherford combined his two championships in Pittsburgh with a 2006 Cup victory with the Carolina Hurricanes, making him one of just seven GMs since 1967 to win three championships as a manager.
Rutherford masterfully balanced strategic moves to maintain a championship-caliber roster while managing the complexities of the salary cap. He focused on bringing in veteran leadership and key role players, which complemented the core stars and contributed to a winning culture in Pittsburgh. During his time as the Penguins’general manager, only three teams won more regular-season and playoff games than Pittsburgh’s 276 and 40, respectively. From a franchise perspective, only Craig Patrick and Ray Shero have more wins in those categories among team GMs.
Overall, Jim Rutherford’s tenure with the Penguins was defined by his fearless approach to team-building and his success in achieving two Stanley Cup titles, cementing his legacy as the key architect of one of the most successful periods in franchise history.