Jim Rutherford

A small-town Ontario upbringing led Jim Rutherford to the NHL crease after he was taken in the first round, tenth overall, of the 1969 amateur draft. Early on he split time between NHL opportunities and minor-league assignments, learning to cope with the unique responsibilities of a goaltender.

Rutherford played professionally from 1969 until 1983, appearing for Detroit, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Los Angeles. His tenure included multiple returns to the Red Wings organization and several transactions that moved him between clubs. He retired at age 33 with a regular-season record of 151-227-59.

Switching to management, Rutherford joined the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise in 1994 as president and general manager and helped assemble the roster that won the Stanley Cup in 2006. He moved on to the Pittsburgh Penguins as general manager on June 6, 2014; Pittsburgh captured back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 under his leadership. He resigned as Penguins GM on January 27, 2021, citing personal reasons.

Recognition followed his executive work: Rutherford received the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award on June 23, 2016, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. On December 9, 2021, he was named president of hockey operations and interim GM of the Vancouver Canucks. Following the 2026 draft lottery, he announced on May 5, 2026 that he would step down as president and move into an adviser role. He was later named to the Class of 2026 for induction into the Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame on August 20, 2026, with the ceremony scheduled for November 14.

As a player Rutherford was also part of a visual shift in goaltending: he was among the early goalies to wear a decorated mask, a practice that would become widespread. His career spans the ice and the front office, with durable contributions in both roles.