Jim Rutherford will step down as president of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks following the upcoming NHL Draft. The announcement comes after the Canucks finished the season at the bottom of the league standings with a 25-49-8 record. Rutherford, who is 77, will transition to an advisory role and also serve as an alternate governor for the team.
Rutherford was hired as president of hockey operations and interim general manager in December 2021. He took over the role after the firing of Jim Benning. Rutherford then hired Patrik Allvin as general manager in January 2022, but Allvin was fired in April after a disappointing season. The Canucks made the playoffs once during Rutherford's tenure, losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round in 2024.
Rutherford said he had been considering stepping down from the day-to-day operations for a couple of years. He will assist with the transition and hiring of a new general manager. The list of candidates for the GM position has been narrowed down to five. It is still to be determined if the Canucks will hire a new president of hockey operations.
A three-time Stanley Cup winner, Rutherford won one championship as president and GM of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and two as GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. Despite his success with other teams, Rutherford's tenure in Vancouver was largely unsuccessful, with the team missing the playoffs in four of his five years.
