Is Jim Rutherford the best GM of all time?
- Thread starter FatherOfThree
- Start date
Gabe Kupari
Registered User
Did he draft crosby and Malkin? No. So therefore no hes not. I mean is it really that surprising that a team with 2 of the best players in the world are champs again?
FatherOfThree
Registered User
hi
Washington also has 2 of the best players in the world (OVechkin and Backstom) they havent won a stanly cup
Steve
orby
Registered User
it's not as hard to do when the team that hires you already has crosby and malkin locked up long term below market value, and mid round draft picks/college signings that the team acquired before your tenure pan out into starting goalies and top 6 forwards. lots of luck involved here.
Rutherford has mostly made great moves as the GM but all he's done is reconfigure the supporting cast a little. Most of the key players who have made the Pens great were in the organization before JR was.
Rutherford has mostly made great moves as the GM but all he's done is reconfigure the supporting cast a little. Most of the key players who have made the Pens great were in the organization before JR was.
jdpitt05
Registered User
[MOD] it would be rather comical to look at the post when he was hired here. Probably 90% of the responses were proclaiming how bad he was. Almost as satisfying to read the Matt Niskanen and Justin Schultz posts when they came to Pittsburgh.
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Gabe Kupari
Registered User
I dont think Backstrom is even in the same league as sid or malkin.
Washington is also a cursed team. Regular season juggernauts but unlike the pens... Have no idea how to win when it matters.
zero8771
Registered User
- Jun 15, 2012
- 2,339
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huh?
Rutherford did a great job last year of handing out some good contracts out to quality players. And the best thing he did was hire a coach who believed in playing young kids. But the real test will be this summer.
Last summer it was pretty easy as he didn't have to hand out any contracts, and the smartest thing he did (that every Pens fan on HF all *****ed about for most of the summer) was that he didn't trade MAF. Everyone else other than Cullen (which was a stupid easy decision) was already under contract. Thus summer however, he needs to resign Dumoulin, Sheary and Schultz. And then Bonino is a UFA. Those 4 going to cost some serious coin, and whatever Pittsburgh does in the next 2 years (their best chance at winning another cup) is going to be determined largely by those signings. Too much, and they won't have the cap space to fill out the roster. Not enough term (Dumo/Sheary are FAs in 2 years) and they'll walk as free agents in a few years.
So no, he's not at this point. But lets give him 2 years to see how Pittsburgh does over that span - because this is when the real work and the real results will be seen.
Last summer it was pretty easy as he didn't have to hand out any contracts, and the smartest thing he did (that every Pens fan on HF all *****ed about for most of the summer) was that he didn't trade MAF. Everyone else other than Cullen (which was a stupid easy decision) was already under contract. Thus summer however, he needs to resign Dumoulin, Sheary and Schultz. And then Bonino is a UFA. Those 4 going to cost some serious coin, and whatever Pittsburgh does in the next 2 years (their best chance at winning another cup) is going to be determined largely by those signings. Too much, and they won't have the cap space to fill out the roster. Not enough term (Dumo/Sheary are FAs in 2 years) and they'll walk as free agents in a few years.
So no, he's not at this point. But lets give him 2 years to see how Pittsburgh does over that span - because this is when the real work and the real results will be seen.
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
But that has nothing to do with how Rutherford has managed his team though.
The guy has done nothing but great moves since being GM here, and IIRC pretty much everyone was pissed when the Pens hired him.
The guy has been pretty much flawless in every single trade he has done since taking over, his worse one probably being Despres for Lovejoy in which turned out great last year and stealing Cole for Bortuzzo.
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
Yup which didn't Win anything from 2009 to 2016. Not even made it back to a finals
gordie
5x
Rutherford had a comfortable retirement. I do believe he made plenty of money from being employed by Peter Karmanos during his days in Carolina away from Hockey operations. I believe he came out of retirement because he saw an opportunity to win in Pittsburgh and get his name in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder. I do believe this cup win will do just that.
Cyclones Rock
Registered User
- Jun 12, 2008
- 10,592
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Without a doubt Rutherford is.
Sam Pollock and his 9 Stanley Cups in 14 years doesn't hold a candle to Rutherford.
Sam Pollock and his 9 Stanley Cups in 14 years doesn't hold a candle to Rutherford.
gordie
5x
Sam Pollock operated with no salary cap and against a smaller NHL that had to fight the WHA for player rights, which help weaken the other NHL opposition. Have you thought about that??
Are we going to ignore that his former organization, Carolina, now has the longest playoff drought in hockey (8 seasons)?
gordie
5x
My answer to this is. Check out Casey Stengal's record as a MLB Manager before he got the New York Yankees job.
BrindamoursNose
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- Oct 14, 2008
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99% of HF wanted Fleury gone by trade deadline and thought he'd be gone.
Rutherford said he's not going anywhere
Murray got injured. Fleury stood on his head. Without that move there is no repeat. Without Sullivan there is no first cup.
Without Bonino, Shultz, Daley, Kessel, Hagelin moves there is no first cup.
Rutherford said he's not going anywhere
Murray got injured. Fleury stood on his head. Without that move there is no repeat. Without Sullivan there is no first cup.
Without Bonino, Shultz, Daley, Kessel, Hagelin moves there is no first cup.
The Winter Soldier
Registered User
- Apr 4, 2011
- 70,806
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No, Sam Pollack pretty much has a lock on that one. But he is pretty good. Will admit after Carolina it looked like he may have been a recycled mistake. But the Pens would not have won 2 cups with him as GM without the moves he made as acquiring Kessel, Bonino, Schulz and hiring Sullivan. For this he deserves full credit.
