Veteran NHL executive Jim Rutherford knows his stress-free days are gone now that heB次元官网网址檚 taken over the Vancouver Canucks.

Being named the teamB次元官网网址檚 president is a special opportunity, he said, but one that comes with its fair share of challenges.

B次元官网网址淚 like stress, especially at my age,B次元官网网址� the 72-year-old joked on Monday.

Rutherford was named president of the Canucks (12-15-2) on Thursday, days after the club fired head coach Travis Green and number of front-office staff, including general manager Jim Benning.

The former NHL goaltender was general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2014 to 2021 and led the team to back-to-back championships in 2016 and B次元官网网址�17. He was also CarolinaB次元官网网址檚 GM for 20 years, and saw the Hurricanes win the Cup in 2006.

Rutherford, who hails from Beeton, Ont., was named the leagueB次元官网网址檚 general manager of the year in 2016 and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builder category in 2019.

B次元官网网址淛im was the top of my list of candidates to come in and turn this franchise around. IB次元官网网址檓 thrilled that he not only accepted the job but really embraced it,B次元官网网址� Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said Monday. B次元官网网址淗is job is to bring a winning team, bring in a winning culture B次元官网网址� to build a leadership team that can bring a Stanley Cup to Vancouver.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks struggled to start this season, going 6-14-2 across the first 22 games. A number of stars struggled offensively, including centre Elias Pettersson and right-winger Brock Boeser.

Culture was an issue throughout the organization, Aquilini said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a winning attitude. Culture is a collective belief. ItB次元官网网址檚 a standard. ItB次元官网网址檚 a bar that you set, and you say everybody has to meet this standard and I just felt we just didnB次元官网网址檛 have that,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that he wanted to B次元官网网址渃lean the slateB次元官网网址� so Rutherford could start over.

The Canucks are a better team than they showed over the first 20 games, Rutherford said.

B次元官网网址淚 certainly saw a lot in this franchise and the Canucks brand that I decided that IB次元官网网址檓 going to take on the challenge. And I understand that itB次元官网网址檚 a challenge. We all know that,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of work to be done here. So thatB次元官网网址檚 why IB次元官网网址檓 here. IB次元官网网址檓 going to give it my best and IB次元官网网址檓 going to do my best to change the culture and get to a point where we have a consistent playoff team that can grow into a contender and give us a chance to get to the ultimate goal.B次元官网网址�

Rutherford was also named VancouverB次元官网网址檚 interim general manager and will lead the search for a replacement. HeB次元官网网址檚 already compiled a list of 40 candidates and put them in various categories, such as potential GM and potential AGM, and would like to hire one assistant general manager this week.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not here to be the general manager, but IB次元官网网址檓 capable of doing the job,B次元官网网址� Rutherford said. B次元官网网址淚 would like to get somebody in place sooner than later but if itB次元官网网址檚 not in the near future, itB次元官网网址檚 OK. We want to try to get it right.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver has already made one major move, bringing in veteran NHL coach Bruce Boudreau to replace Green behind the bench.

The team is 4-0-0 under Boudreau, but the Canucks are still second-last in the Pacific Division and sit six points out of a playoff spot.

Rutherford had not yet accepted a job with the Canucks before Boudreau was hired, but said he spoke with Aquilini about the decision and told the owner he B次元官网网址渕ost definitelyB次元官网网址� approved.

B次元官网网址淚 like Bruce a lot,B次元官网网址� the newly minted president said. B次元官网网址淗im and I have known each other probably for 50 years. We hung out a little bit in our younger days. We always kidded that weB次元官网网址檇 like to work together someday. We just didnB次元官网网址檛 know it was going to take forever to do it.B次元官网网址�

Boudreau previously coached the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild, and is exactly what Vancouver needed after a difficult start to the season, Rutherford added.

B次元官网网址淚 just think based on what happened the first part of the season that having a guy like Bruce B次元官网网址� where he gives the players a lot of confidence and makes them feel good about themselves B次元官网网址� was really the right guy at the right time for this organization,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎 guy that can motivate and motivate and get those guys back to feeling as good as they should be.B次元官网网址�

In Pittsburgh, Rutherford was known as GM who liked to make trades and he said heB次元官网网址檚 already received calls from colleagues who are interested in some of VancouverB次元官网网址檚 players.

While heB次元官网网址檚 open to making moves if B次元官网网址渟omething pretty good comes along,B次元官网网址� Rutherford said heB次元官网网址檚 not in a hurry to put his stamp on the CanucksB次元官网网址� roster via a trade.

B次元官网网址淚 want to be careful with our trades,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to trade draft picks, unless theyB次元官网网址檙e later round picks. ItB次元官网网址檚 not the cycle weB次元官网网址檙e in to trade high draft picks, and the trades we make, IB次元官网网址檇 prefer that weB次元官网网址檙e gaining some age on it, so as we move along, if it takes a couple of years to bring it together to be more of a contender, then we got the right age group that they can come together.B次元官网网址�

The Canucks will close out a six-game homestand on Tuesday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press