The Vancouver Canucks are expected to announce an extension for president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman can confirm.
Friedman reports the team and Rutherford were discussing a three-year deal.
The Canucks hired Rutherford as president of hockey operations and interim general manager after clearing house in 2021, firing former GM Jim Benning, his assistant John Weisbrod and head coach Travis Green in December of that year.
After a tumultuous start of his tenure last season, going 0 for 7 to start his first full season as president, Rutherford and his hand-picked general manager, Patrik Allvin, have appeared to right the ship, bringing in their own head coach in Rick Tocchet and key new players such as Filip Hronek, Casey DeSmith, Carson Soucy and Ian Cole.
The Canucks are enjoying their most successful season in recent years, sitting at the top of the league and on pace for their first playoff appearance since the bubble in 2020 and their third since 2015.
Rutherford has won three Stanley Cups throughout his time in the league — once as president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and twice as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Rutherford is the first to hold this position within the franchise since former captain Trevor Linden, who served as president of hockey operations from 2014 to 2018, when he and the organization decided to part ways.
