Sekeres and Price: Darren Dreger on Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Sekeres: “Will Rutherford be with the Canucks next year? What are you hearing? Is it all getting too much for him here in Vancouver?
Dreger: “I would be shocked if he wasn’t with the Vancouver Canucks, but I was shocked when he left the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fashion that he did.
I mean, let’s take stock in the man’s career here. He’s won Stanley Cups. He’s 73 years old. I know his family loves Vancouver. So it would take something fairly significant, either personally or ownership wanting a change, for Jimmy Rutherford to not be back as president of the Vancouver Canucks next year.
But look, I know cause I’ve had the conversation with him, in fairness he was very open and honest in the Pittsburgh reporting. He was. He spoke glowingly of his time there. He talked the friendships that he still has. Although he does respect distance and doesn’t connect with them very often. That again is out of respect for the job that has to be done in Pittsburgh.
But COVID hit us all differently didn’t it? And I can tell you that Rutherford and his family, deeply adhered to the restrictions and the protocols. So the social aspect and feeling somewhat responsible for his young son having to endure all of the restrictions and whatnot.
Did it take a toll on him? I don’t know. I’ve had those basic conversations with him. So I think that is what he was speaking to when he spoke so honestly in the report. But there is still fire in that belly. There is and until that fire stops burning, I think he’s going to do whatever he can to help the Vancouver Canucks.
But in the piece he also talked about how he thought that they would be more or less, I’m paraphrasing, turning a corner. And felt like some of the cap issues that they are going to have to deal with in the future, he thought that some might have been remedied by now. Either in the offseason or now by trade and that hasn’t happened.
So, Jimmy’s been around the block a bunch of different times. As he again alludes to, when the stress becomes too much for him to handle, then he’ll step away. But I don’t get that sense that that’s anytime soon.”
** NHLRumors.com transcription
