PITTSBURGH — Above his office desk at PPG Paints Arena, Jim Rutherford has two reminders of some of the most satisfying years of his professional life.
In one photo, an elated Conor Sheary can be seen celebrating the overtime goal that brought the Penguins a Stanley Cup title in the spring of 2016. To its right, another photo depicts Patric Hörnqvist, arms raised, signalling what proved to be the Cup winner in 2017.
Rutherford, 68, has spent his life in the game. First as a player — he had a solid 13-year goaltending career in the NHL — and since then he’s spent the better part of 25 years as a general manager in Hartford, Carolina and Pittsburgh.