Jim Rutherford's success as Penguins GM built through second chances

Jim Rutherford believed in second chances.

He was willing to give castoffs and misfits second chances in the name of making his teams better.

After all, he was given a second chance.

A few weeks after the Carolina Hurricanes gently pushed him out of the general manager’s office in spring 2014, Rutherford, then 65, got a second chance with the Pittsburgh Penguins when they hired him as their general manager that June.

Less than two years later, he watched a team he crafted with several second-chancers — Phil Kessel, Matt Cullen, Eric Fehr, Trevor Daley, Ben Lovejoy, coach Mike Sullivan and others — lift the Stanley Cup.

In the aftermath of the team winning the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup title, Rutherford spoke of the importance of second chances on the slushy ice of San Jose’s SAP Center.

“Second chances (aren’t) a bad thing,” Rutherford said. “Too many times people want to beat up on people that are going through a tough time. You can see when guys get a second chance and they fit into a good situation, that’s better for them. That’s what’s happened to guys here.”

That’s what happened to Jim Rutherford in Pittsburgh, too.

That second chance came to an abrupt end Wednesday when Rutherford, 71, resigned for personal reasons.

Assistant general manager Patrik Allvin will take over as interim general manager while a search for a new full-time general manager will begin immediately.

Rutherford declined to comment on the reasons for his decision when reached by telephone Wednesday evening.

“I just felt it was time,” Rutherford said. “When I came here, I said I’d be here for two or three years, and I’ve been here seven. I was hoping to win (one Stanley Cup title), and we won two. I’ve been treated extremely well by the organization, by ownership. I have no regrets. It’s been a good time. It’s been an honor to be the (general manager) of the Penguins and be a part of the city of Pittsburgh.”

Rutherford indicated his decision was not tied to his health or the global pandemic. He largely has spent the past 10 months confined to his home as a precaution against covid-19.

“Actually, in some ways, as long as I keep avoiding getting (covid-19), the pandemic has been good for my health,” Rutherford said. “I’ve exercised more. I’ve eaten better, and I’ve lost some weight. As long as something doesn’t happen here now. My health is pretty good.”

Rutherford declined to say why stepping down seven games into a new season was the right time.

“I wasn’t considering doing it at the start of the season,” Rutherford said. “There’s reasons why I did it now that I don’t want to get into.”

His decision to step away surprised CEO and team president David Morehouse.

“The discussion was (Tuesday) night,” Morehouse said. “And I had a discussion with Jim, just Jim and I. And Jim had his mind made up.”

During his tenure as Penguins general manager, Rutherford was wildly successful as he led the franchise to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and ’17. The Penguins were the first team in the NHL’s salary cap era to accomplish that feat.

Having also led the Hurricanes to the 2006 championship, Rutherford was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.

“Jim’s legacy is that two Stanley Cup banners are hanging in (PPG Paints Arena) and the personal relationships he’s made within the organization,” Morehouse said. “People are constantly coming up to me telling me they ran into Jim and what a good guy he is. The criteria we were looking for when we hired him was someone with experience that’s seen everything and has has experience of winning a (Stanley Cup title) and we liked Jim for his experience but also for his youthful way of thinking about things. His unique perspective. Jim always thought outside the box.”

This past fall, Rutherford oversaw a restructuring of his front office and coaching staff. Allvin was promoted from a scouting role to assistant general manager while Daley, a former defenseman, was hired as hockey operations advisor. On the bench, Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci replaced Sergei Gonchar, Jacques Martin and Mark Recchi as assistant coaches.

Additionally, former assistant general manager Jason Karmanos, a long-time lieutenant of Rutherford dating to their days with the Hurricanes, was fired.

Morehouse was ambiguous when asked if there was any disagreement between Rutherford and upper management that might have led to his departure.

“There is nothing with this team currently and in the coaching staff as currently configured that is any different than any of the other teams that we’ve had,” Morehouse said. “There’s always dialogue between general manager and ownership and coaches and general managers. So to answer the question, there was nothing different in the form of dialogue, and I don’t think there was any one thing that led to Jim resigning.”

A native of Falun, Sweden, Allvin becomes the first native of that country to become an NHL general manager. Allvin, 46, has risen steadily with the Penguins since joining them as a European scout in 2007.

He was promoted to director of European scouting in 2012, then director of amateur scouting in 2014.

In November, Allvin was promoted again, to assistant general manager.

Morehouse indicated Allvin will be a candidate for the full-time role.

“Patrik Allvin has been with the organization for 15 years,” Morehouse said. “He has progressed pretty quickly through the ranks to becoming the head of amateur scouting and then now this year, to the assistant general manager. Very smart, very well respected in the hockey community and will be considered among the candidates.”

As interim general manager, Allvin will consult with owner Mario Lemieux on any potential transactions.

“He’s going to have full authority,” Morehouse said. “He’s also going to have Mario Lemieux as a backup. So I think we’re OK in that area … Mario’s had some experience around this stuff so I think we’ll be OK.”

Burkle, Lemieux and Morehouse will oversee the search for Rutherford’s replacement.

“The criteria is the same criteria we’ve had here for the last 15 years, it’s to win the Stanley Cup,” Morehouse said. “We’re looking for someone who is going to be able to come in, take a very talented team with a very good coaching staff and take it as far as they can take it. I don’t think there’s much more of a criteria than that. It’s the criteria we had when we brought Jim in, and we hold the same criteria as we bring the next (general manager) in.”

As for Rutherford, his contract with the Penguins expires in June. Even now, he hasn’t ruled out returning with another NHL team.

“I’m going to take this time and just unwind,” Rutherford said. “Get rid of the stress and all those things that go with the job. Enjoy my family. At some point in time, when it’s appropriate, if a team had interest in my services, I would take a look at it. If it’s the right team and the right situation, I’ll look at it. But I’m at a place in my life where I could work or not work. It’s a good place to be.”