Who could join Jim Rutherford in Vancouver? – The athlete

When the Vancouver Canucks ownership discussed the club’s search for a new full-time hockey manager on Monday, chairman and governor Francesco Aquilini made it clear that everything was on the table.

On Thursday morning, the Canucks announced the hiring of Jim Rutherford as President of Hockey Operations and Interim General Manager. This means the Rutherford-led club will continue to look for a new GM in the near future.

Within the industry, the names associated with Vancouver are staggering. The person working alongside Rutherford could be someone who has worked for the company before, although this is far from a requirement. There are also some options from Rutherford’s past as an executive with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Rutherford, 72, was the largest and most experienced name available. As General Manager, he has won three Stanley Cups, in two different franchises and in two different decades. He is adaptable and extremely aggressive in the trading market. He has also coached and developed a number of NHL executives – current GMs Tom Fitzgerald and Bill Guerin were both Rutherford’s Pittsburgh employees – and has a track record of incorporating analytics into players’ hiring decisions.

However, there have been some serious trouble spots that Rutherford and the Penguins encountered late in his tenure as general manager over some misguided trades and contractual commitments before his surprise resignation just seven games in the 2021 season. However, his resume as the aspiring president of the ice hockey business is unmatched with a vast network and a proven track record of delivering championships.

Here are some potential candidates for the GM job at Canucks, and they are not presented in any particular order.