Rick Dhaliwal: A text from Jim Rutherford on the reports he’s not happen and wants out, was told by Jim that there is nothing to those reports.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford denies the speculation that he is considering resigning from the Canucks.
Sportsnet 650: Jamie Dodd and Thomas Drance on Sportsnet 650 on the report that Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford has thought about leaving the organization.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dodd: “Just to wrap up the Rutherford stuff. First of all, I thought it was really interesting clip, that’s why I wanted to play it from Elliotte Friedman. Obviously, this is speculative. Nobody is suggesting that anything is imminent here on the Jim Rutherford front.
Look, if I had to bet just knowing, he said it himself at that press conference right? They have a challenge. He’s up for a challenge. That’s Jim Rutherford. He’s competitive. He’s obviously confident. I would bet on him sticking around. As Elliotte Friedman said, trying to “fix this” and get this team back on track.
The one thing I will say is interesting, again to come back to what Friedman had to say there, the question they need to be answered about where they’re going from an on-ice direction.
The only way I can kind of see like it making sense from Rutherford’s perspective is, if there has been a realization in the Canucks front office that actually this is not going to be a retool, this is not going to be a two to three year job, this is going to be a longer process. We might have to trade one of our key players like Thatcher Demko, even though he’s on a great contract in order to get it done.
If there had been some sort of awareness or acceptance of that in the front office, is that something Rutherford would be interested in sticking around for?
Now again, who knows, and the Canucks have been very, very, very reluctant to make that kind of, to have that assessment in the past. So I’d be surprised if that was the case, but just trying to spitball ways it would make sense. You know what I mean, and that’s one of them.
If there’s a change in direction in the front office, and it’s just not one that Rutherford wanted to be a part of.”
Drance: “Wow. Yeah.”
Dodd: “Isn’t that one of the things that could possibly make sense? That’s what happened with (Trevor) Linden and (Jim) Benning in reverse right?”
Drance: “Sure.”
Dodd: “It would be out of character for the Canucks organization.”
Drance: “It wouldn’t be out of character. At this point, what would be? Have we reached that moment where you could hear a bit of news about the Vancouver Canucks and you would believe it? Like, have we not reached that point?
Dodd: “Well, if it was Canucks announce they’re going to rebuild, I’d be like, hold one.”
Both laughing
Dodd: “Is this a parody account?”
Drance: “Hold on. Let me make sure this is coming from a verified account.”
Dodd: “I got to click through the profile to see if, who this is actually from.”