Successful executives rarely resign while seasons are still being contested, so the hockey world was stunned to hear that Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford resigned Wednesday afternoon.
The three-time Stanley Cup-winning general manager, who most recently guided the Penguins to championships in 2016 and 2017, abruptly left his post for "personal reasons" just seven games into the pandemic-shortened season.
Initially, the resignation was thought to be due to an issue with his health, or possibly even concerns about COVID-19. At 71, Rutherford is in the high-risk category. But team president David Morehouse said Rutherford is in good health during a Zoom press conference.