Jim Rutherford "likely out in Pittsburgh"

[Beukeboom Fan]

He had two jobs:
Build a defense capable of not allowing goals in the playoffs.
Reduce Crosby's responsibility from the "do everything" guy on his line, so that he's less involved with defense, forechecking and overall puck retrieval, and able to focus more on creating dangerous chances from the possession established by more competent linemates.

And failed miserably at both.

Have you actually watched the games?

I'm not a Pens fan, but have to mention that Letang, Maatta and Erhoff aren't playing. How many play-off teams would be doing well against the President Trophy winning Rangers without their top 3 d-men? The Pens are playing Taylor Flipping Chorney for god sake!


1) How realistic is it say "give up no goals"? PITT problem hasn't been allowing goals (even without their top 3 d-men), it's that they're not generating much offense (which makes sense that all 3 d-men they're missing are great passers that would activate the offense).
2) How many of those guys are are availalbe? I thought that the Hornquist & Perron additions were good, but obiously DP is REALLY struggling.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Hornqvist and Perron don't defend or forecheck well enough to help out Sid like I outlined.

The Pens 08-09 defense had three out-and-out shutdown types. Their current unit, even when totally healthy, has zero.

 

[Chfan]

Would have been better off with McGuire.

 

[billybudd]

Hornqvist and Perron don't defend or forecheck well enough to help out Sid like I outlined.

The Pens 08-09 defense had three out-and-out shutdown types. Their current unit, even when totally healthy, has zero.

Perron doesn't. Pascal Dupuis sure as Hell does. But he's out for the year.

 

[BHD]

Hornqvist and Perron don't defend or forecheck well enough to help out Sid like I outlined.

The Pens 08-09 defense had three out-and-out shutdown types. Their current unit, even when totally healthy, has zero.

Continue making inaccurate statements about the Pens. You're doing a really good job.

 

[Canadian_Brewtality]

as someone removed from the Pittsburgh situation, you guys should thank Rossi if it gets Rutherford fired.
Dont care how much of a hack the reporter is, Rutherford is one of the faces of the team. If he's rattled by a columnist opinions, he should no be running an NHL franchise.

I used to watch the Pens and be entertained. I used to fear them. Now?

Have to stop wasting Crosby & Malkin's time.

 

[londonHK]

I'm pretty sure Torts would have decked Rossi by the second week of October.

I'd like to see Rossi try that in Toronto with Shanahan.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Dont care how much of a hack the reporter is, Rutherford is one of the faces of the team. If he's rattled by a columnist opinions, he should no be running an NHL franchise.

He never experienced anything like Rossi while in Carolina. Even the harshest criticism leveled at him in the major media here was of the "gee, maybe some of these decisions haven't turned out so well" variety.

Rutherford's probably capable of being useful to a hockey franchise in some capacity, but General Manager isn't it. His concept of how to build a team flat-out doesn't work in today's NHL.

 

[Jumptheshark]

http://triblive.com/sports/robrossi/8209495-74/rutherford-penguins-final#axzz3XwzzaopA



Then there was this.

Can't say Pens fans will be too upset if he indeed gets shown the door.

Mod Edit: http://thepensblog.com/2015-archive...ord-will-be-removed-as-gm-this-offseason.html

one reporter who is known to be a **** disturber wont be the end of the GM--Rutherford walked into a situation where they had some glaring needs and not much wiggle room.

However--the Perron for a first deal could come back to kill him

 

[DyerMaker66*]

I don't mind the Perron deal at all. The Lovejoy deal infuriates me.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

However--the Perron for a first deal could come back to kill him

How is anyone trading what will likely be the 15th OA be a "killer"? That pick probably has a 50% chance of having a NHL career, and probably a 25% chance of turning into a Perron level player.

Hawks traded a 1st round DP for Vermette who was healthy scratched the first two games. Preds traded a 1st round DP for a 1st round DP for Franson also got scratched to start the P/O's. There is almost no way that a 15-30th OA to turn into a "GM Killer" IMO.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Hornqvist and Perron don't defend or forecheck well enough to help out Sid like I outlined.

The Pens 08-09 defense had three out-and-out shutdown types. Their current unit, even when totally healthy, has zero.

How many guys are what you describe as," "do everything" guy on his line, so that he's less involved with defense, forechecking and overall puck retrieval"? Doesn't that seems to describe Hornquist pretty well IMO?

Who would you rather the Pens traded for? There just didn't seem to be the type of player that you're describing.

And I agree with the poster above who said that the Despres deal would anger me more than the Perron deal.

 

[billybudd]

And I agree with the poster above who said that the Despres deal would anger me more than the Perron deal.

I still hate the Winnik deal even more. It forced us to play with 5 D for a damned month to rent a guy we could have had for nothing in free agency at the cost of two picks, one of which was a second. The player himself does very little.

 

[iamjs]

My role is to provide opinion.

“Well, your opinion is (expletive),†Rutherford said

This sounds like a line from Step Brothers. What a little man child *****.

To be fair, Rossi's opinion is (expletive), and feel free to use any number of expletives.

 

[Tawnos]

I thought Rutherford wasn't intended to be a long term hire? I seem to remember something about him getting another executive up to speed on GMing then moving on.

Was it Botterill I'm thinking of?

 

[Reality Check]

Maybe they'll hire Mike Milbury next since they didn't mind looking past Rutherford.

Quite amazing how far that franchise has fallen.

 

[Voight]

Maybe they'll hire Mike Milbury next since they didn't mind looking past Rutherford.

Quite amazing how far that franchise has fallen.

No offence to Mario, but he isn't the best owner. Its not like he's some multi millionaire/billionaire guy who built a business and a fortune like Jacobs or Pegula and has great business acumen. He got the team because they owed him money, he had 0 experience of owning or running a business and was lucky Craig Patrick was already there and Ron Burkle helped him buy the team.

Luckily he's the hockey equivalent of Clemente or Bradshaw so the fans will never call for him to sell the team.

 

[Voight]

I thought Rutherford wasn't intended to be a long term hire? I seem to remember something about him getting another executive up to speed on GMing then moving on.

Was it Botterill I'm thinking of?

Yea you're correct with both statements.

He's supposed to mentor Botterill, personally I would've chosen Gillis or GMGM for that role cause they knows what building and managing a cup contender is like.

 

[Gardner McKay]

From the Pens board...

To be fair... if you look at what Rutherford had done for a few years before joining Pittsburgh it really is years of incompetence.

 

[Doctyl]

lirl he was there 1 year. imo, they shouldn't have fired Shero.

 

[Voight]

lirl he was there 1 year. imo, they shouldn't have fired Shero.

Shero wasn't very good to begin with, he inherited a team that had Letang/MAF/Malkin/Whitney/Staal/Gonchar/Crosby so its not like he built them from scratch. Then he's mortgaged the future nearly every season since the cup win to try and get back and its failed miserably.

 

[radapex]

So a general manager lashing out at a reporter (regardless of his credibility) is an everyday occurrence?

Dejan said Rossi is blowing it way out of proportion. He says he was standing about 5 ft away from them and couldn't make out what was said - it was a very private (and off-the-record) exchange.

 

[radapex]

Fire JR, hire Chiarelli. Fire the coach, hire Babcock or McLellan.

I'm sure Burkle & Lemieux would be thrilled to be paying 3 coaches and 3 GMs next season

 

[radapex]

Lol at "go sell ice cream now".

Rossi is a joke, but i don't really feel comfortable with Rutherford as GM. Still scratching my head about the hire, considering what he did to Carolina.

It's simple. They wanted to hire someone to groom Botterill for 2 years then hand over the reigns, and no worthwhile GM is going to take that kind of job.

 

[radapex]

Hornqvist and Perron don't defend or forecheck well enough to help out Sid like I outlined.

I'm fairly certain you haven't watched Hornqvist play if that's what you think of how he plays.