This article examines Jim Rutherford‘s five worst moves as Penguins General Manager. While he contributed to much success, his later trades hurt the team. While Jim Rutherford’s time as Pittsburgh Penguins GM was marked by Stanley Cup success, the GM made questionable choices following their Cup runs. By moving away from the established ethos of the Penguins that brought them much success, Rutherford inadvertently began the teardown of his own Championship roster.
Five Worst Trades by Rutherford
#5. Patrick Marleau Trade
Acquiring Patrick Marleau from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick was a gamble made by a team desperate for depth. The hope was that Marleau would bring veteran leadership and depth scoring for a team hoping to rekindle their previous playoff success. Marleau was motivated following his time in Toronto and San Jose. He was a former superstar player still searching for his first Stanley Cup. Unfortunately for Rutherford and Marleau, his time in Pittsburgh did not yield such results.
Impact
Marleau’s performance as a Penguin was underwhelming. In 8 regular season games, he managed only 1 goal and 1 assist. His contribution in the playoffs was minimal, with no points in 4 games. Furthermore, The Penguins were upset in the qualifying round by the Montreal Canadiens, rendering the acquisition ineffective. Marleau’s impact in Pittsburgh was ultimately minimal.
Trade Analysis
Trading a third-round pick for a veteran who did not significantly contribute to the team’s playoff success hurt the team. Although a third-round pick is not typically significant by itself, the Penguins were a team barren in assets or prospects. For them, even a pick as high as round three was significant capital. The move failed to bolster the team’s depth as intended, and the draft pick was lost.
#4. David Perron Trade
Rutherford acquired David Perron from the Edmonton Oilers for Rob Klinkhammer and a 2015 first-round pick. Perron’s arrival in Pittsburgh was met with much fanfare. The skilled forward put up just 19 points in 38 games with the Edmonton Oilers prior to his acquisition. Perron was expected to slot into the top six of the team immediately.
Impact
While Perron did show flashes of skill, his time with the Penguins was inconsistent. He scored just 12 goals and 22 points in 43 games during the 2014-2015 season. His pace spiralled further down to just 4 goals and 16 points in 43 games the next season. Perron failed to meet expectations on the top six of a Penguins team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in their prime. He was given ample time with a full seasons worth of games as well to find his footing, and never did.
Trade Analysis
The cost of a first-round pick for a player who didn’t meet expectations was steep. The trade did not provide the long-term benefit the Penguins needed, and losing a first-round pick hindered the team’s ability to develop young talent. Fortunately for the Penguins, Jim Rutherford traded David Perron to the Anaheim Ducks for Carl Hagelin. Hagelin became an integral part of both Cup runs under Jim Rutherford. This subsequent trade aids the initial trade for Perron to rank better on the list.
#3. Olli Maatta Trade
In June 2019, Rutherford traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Dominik Kahun and a fifth-round pick. The move was intended to add speed and scoring to the Penguins’ forward group while shedding salary. Olli Maatta had been a steady presence on the blueline for the team for six seasons prior to this move. He also played a role in both Stanley Cup victories under Rutherford. Kahun would not find such success in Pittsburgh.
Impact
Dominik Kahun initially showed promise in his first group of games with the team. He seemed to have found chemistry with Evgeni Malkin before his play began to falter later in the season. Kahun ultimately ended the season scoring 10 goals and 27 points in 50 games before being traded to Buffalo. Meanwhile, Maatta’s departure left a gap in the Penguins’ defense. The stability and experience Maatta provided on the blue line were missed, and the return in the trade did not justify the loss of such a long-term reliable defenceman.
Trade Analysis
The trade did not significantly benefit the Penguins in the long term. While Kahun was a decent addition, his brief tenure and subsequent trade meant that the Penguins did not gain a lasting asset. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Evan Rodrigues and a returning Conor Sheary. While Rodrigues showed flashes of his future play in Florida, he left the Penguins in free agency the following season. Similarly, Sheary’s reunion in Pittsburgh did not work out well, and the forward also left the team in free agency.
#2. Ryan Reaves Trade
On June 23, 2018, Rutherford traded Oskar Sundqvist and a first-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick. As this trade was done during the draft, Rutherford paid the 31st pick with Sundqvist for the 51st pick and Reaves. This move was done to add toughness to the Penguins roster following the 2018 series against the Washington Capitals. Capitals forward Tom Wilson made a controversial hit to injure Zach Aston-Reese, and the Penguins did not have a player capable of responding to Wilson’s physical presence.
Impact
Reaves’ tenure with the Penguins was short and not very effective. He played in 58 games, scoring just 4 goals and 4 assists in a heavily sheltered fourth line role. Not even lasting a full season with the team, Reaves was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights later in the season. Sundqvist, on the other hand, developed into a solid player for the Blues. He played four seasons with the Blues, playing a pivotal bottom six role during their own Stanley Cup victory in 2019.
Trade Analysis
The cost of a first-round pick and a young player for a limited role enforcer was not justifiable. The trade did not provide the Penguins with the long-term benefits they needed, making it the first notable misstep in Rutherford’s tenure. Prior to this, many of Rutherford’s moves like the Perron trade were often made up for. However, this was the first trade the Penguins lost outright. Both Sundqvist and 31st pick Klim Kostin would end up becoming NHL players for the Blues. Meanwhile, Reaves was quickly dumped, and 51st overall pick Zachary Lauzon never factored into an NHL game for the Penguins.
#1. Derick Brassard Trade
As former third-line centre Nick Bonino had departed for Nashville following the 2017 Cup win, the defending champion Penguins desperately needed a third-line centre. A three-team trade on February 23, 2018, saw the Penguins acquire Derick Brassard, Vincent Dunn, and a third-round pick, while giving up Ian Cole, prospect Filip Gustavsson, a first-round pick, and a third-round pick. The move was intended to strengthen the Penguins’ depth at center for another playoff run. Instead, it turned out to be a massively damaging move to the franchise.
Impact
Brassard struggled mightily to find his place in the Penguins’ system. He had a promising 8 points in 14 games down the stretch during the 2018 season. However, his struggles in the 2018 playoffs were a large reason the Capitals edged out the Penguins in their series. Brassard managed just 4 points in 12 playoff games. Following this, Brassard scored just 15 points in 40 games before being dealt to the Florida Panthers.
Trade Analysis
The high cost of multiple assets for a player who did not significantly contribute hurt the organization. The subtraction of Ian Cole left the blueline lacking in depth. Filip Gustavsson has panned out to being a starting goaltender for the Minnesota Wild. The first-round pick would go on to be Jacob Bernard-Docker, a solid young defenceman. The Brassard trade disrupted the defending Cup champion’s chemistry instead of providing scoring support. The significant assets wasted for a disappointing performance with highest stakes possible with a threepeat on the line makes the Brassard trade the worst one made by Jim Rutherford as Penguins GM.
Conclusion
Jim Rutherford’s tenure as the Penguins GM from June 6, 2014, to January 27, 2021, is largely a positive. The GM brought two Stanley Cups to the team and cemented the cores legacy as all-time greats. While he made some impactful acquisitions, several trades towards the end of his tenure did not pan out as intended. These moves negatively affected the team’s roster and prospects cupboard. Unfortunately for the organization, the subsequent GM Ron Hextall faced the task of addressing and rectifying these issues to great failure. Rutherford meanwhile, will always be remembered in the city for the Stanley Cups he helped bring to the City.
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