VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Jim Rutherford is stepping down as the Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations following next month’s NHL draft.
“I’m going to get away from the day-to-day operations,” he said Tuesday at an unrelated news conference. “I’m going to stay with the team as an adviser and alternate governor. But as far as the day-to-day operations, we’re going to put together a really good staff here going forward.”
The 77-year-old, three-time Stanley Cup winner said Tuesday that he’s been thinking about his future a lot recently.
“This is something I’ve thought about anyways for a couple of years,” Rutherford said. “But it’s time for me to do that. I feel bad that I have to do it at such a young age, but decided to do it anyways.”
The news comes after the Canucks finished the season last in the standings with a 25-49-8 record.
Vancouver fired general manager Patrik Allvin on April 17, the day after the team capped its dismal campaign with a 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
Rutherford said the search for a new GM has involved more than 15 candidates, and the list has now been narrowed down to five. A final decision is expected by next week, he said.
How Vancouver’s front office is structured following the new hire remains to be seen, Rutherford added.
“I’ll help with the transition and the new person, new people, new positions, things like that,” he said. “But I’ll still be part of the organization. When someone wants to bounce something off of me, I’ll be happy to do it.”
Rutherford and Allvin orchestrated an era that saw the Canucks go from playoff outsiders to Pacific Division winners and back again.
Rutherford was initially hired as Vancouver’s president of hockey operations and interim general manager on Dec. 9, 2021, four days after then-general manager Jim Benning was fired.
A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders’ category, he previously served as GM for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2014 to 2021, and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17.
He was also Carolina’s general manager for 20 years, and helped the Hurricanes win the Cup in 2006.
After finishing at the bottom of the standings, the Canucks had the best odds at claiming the top pick in next month’s draft, but the balls did not fall their way in Tuesday’s lottery.
Instead, the Toronto Maple Leafs will get the first overall selection. Vancouver will pick third.
“Despite the fact that the Canucks aren’t going to pick No. 1, that doesn’t mean we need to be all upset over this,” Rutherford said. “This is a real strong draft. We really don’t know how the draft is going to fall. … But whatever way it falls, we feel very strong that we’re going to get a really good player. Who that player is, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
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