Pittsburgh Penguins: Smart Moves by Jim Rutherford

Jim Rutherford has been General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins for less than two years. In that time span he’s made some shrewd moves that have positioned the Penguins for success.

Prior to joining the helm at Pittsburgh, Jim Rutherford spent 20 years leading the personnel decisions at the Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes organization. Under his watch, the team made the Stanley Cup Final in 2002 and won the Cup in 2006. He was also twice named the NHL Executive of the Year. Although he himself stated that he is in a mentoring role and that his tenure would probably be two or three years, he has not sat on his hands during his time with the Penguins.

Since he moved north to Pennsylvania, it has been clear that Rutherford’s focus is on the speed game. His first major trade came on July 1, 2015, when he acquired the speedy goal-scorer Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kessel hasn’t scored at the same rate he did while with Toronto. While with the Maple Leafs, he was the top dog when it came to putting pucks in the net. That won’t be the case on a team with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. As he continues to acclimate to the team, his play has improved. In particular, his forechecking has become a real asset. As well, his speed and skating ability is an undeniable asset for the Penguins.

Another key move made by Rutherford was trading for the lightning-quick Carl Hagelin. The 27 year-old Swede, and previous winner of the NHL’s fastest-skater competition, had been acquired by the Anaheim Ducks not too long ago, and signed a four-year, $16 million contract on the west coast. Rutherford had the backing of team owners and was able to secure the speed and goal-scoring ability in return for David Perron and Adam Clendening. 

Hagelin was a thorn in the Pens’ side when he played for the New York Rangers, and he can now be an asset for Pittsburgh as they hope to advance through the playoffs. He’s had much more success with the Pens than he had with the Ducks this season. Through 27 games he has 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists) and is a plus-10 on-ice. He, like Kessel, has also given the Penguins success with aggressive forechecking. His speed, for which Rutherford most certainly acquired Hagelin, is also his greatest asset in beating defenders to the net.

While acquiring speed has been one of Rutherford’s successes as a GM, he has also done an excellent job with the team’s younger players. When Tom Kuhnhackl, Bryan Rust and Scott Wilson all performed well while up in Pittsburgh, Rutherford was quick to reward them with two-year contracts each. That shows the other young players in the Pens’ system that if they come up to the big club and perform, they too can hope to be rewarded. It’s the carrot that the young guys need. That’s how you grow a team. 

Related Story: Pens Extend Kuhnhackl, Rust and Wilson

While making some moves to give the Pens added speed, Rutherford has provided key assets which have led to the team’s recent success. He’s also led by example in showing the younger management team in Jason Botterill and Bill Guerin how to ensure that success is rewarded. The Pens need that kind of mentorship to not only succeed this season, but to ensure there is a pipeline of talent on the team for the future.