(Vancouver) Veteran Jim Rutherford knows his stress-free days are over now that he’s taken the helm of the Vancouver Canucks.
Being named team president is a special occasion, he said, but it comes with its fair share of challenges.
“I love stress, especially at my age,” the 72-year-old joked on Monday.
Rutherford was named president of the Canucks (12-15-2) on Thursday, days after the team fired head coach Travis Green and members of management, including general manager Jim Benning.
The former NHL goalie served as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2014 to 2021, leading the team to two straight Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. He also served as general manager of the Hurricanes of Carolina for 20 years, orchestrating the 2006 Stanley Cup.
Rutherford, who is from Ontario, was named GM of the Year in 2016 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2019.
“Jim was at the top of my list to come here and turn the tide. I’m excited that he not only took the job, but adopted it, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said on Monday. Its job is to bring a winning team and a winning culture. To build a team that can bring a Stanley Cup to Vancouver. ”
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Francesco Aquilini (left)
The Canucks have struggled this season, going 6-14-2 in the first 22 games. Several players fell short of expectations in attack, including center Elias Pettersson and right-winger Brock Boeser.
Culture was an issue across the organization, Aquilini insisted.
“It’s a winning attitude. This culture is a collective belief, a standard. This is the bar that you set and you tell everyone that they have to meet this standard. I have a feeling we didn’t have that attitude, ”said Aquilini.
The Canucks are a better team than they’ve shown in the first 20 games of the season, expressed Rutherford.
“I definitely saw a lot of potential in this team that I decided to take up the challenge. I understand this is a challenge. We all know that, he added. There is a lot of work to be done here and that is why I am here. I will do my best to change the culture and to give us a chance to reach the ultimate goal. ”
Rutherford has also been named interim general manager of the Canucks and is leading the search for a replacement. He has already written a list of 40 candidates and he placed them in different categories, such as possible general manager or deputy general manager. Rutherford would like to hire an assistant general manager this week.
“I’m not here to be the general manager, but I can do the job,” he said. I would like to have someone in place as soon as possible, but if not in the near future, that’s okay. We want to try to do it the right way. ”
The Canucks have already made a major hire, bringing veteran Bruce Boudreau behind the bench to replace Green.
The team is 4-0-0 under Boudreau’s tutelage, but they are still second-to-last in the Pacific section, six points from a playoff spot.
Boudreau was the head coach of the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild and he’s exactly what the Canucks needed after a poor start to the season, according to Rutherford.
“I just think with what happened early in the season, a guy like Bruce was the right person at the right time for this organization,” said Rutherford. He is a guy who can motivate the players so that they find a good feeling. ”
In Pittsburgh, Rutherford was known to be a general manager who liked to trade and says he has already received calls from fellow Canucks interested in some Canucks players.
While ready to trade if ‘something good enough comes along’ Rutherford ensured he was in no rush to put his mark on the Canucks roster through a trade. .
“I want to be careful with our exchanges, he explained. I don’t want to trade in draft picks, unless they’re late picks. Trading high draft picks isn’t the cycle we’re in right now. ”
The Canucks will end a six-game home stint by hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.