'New vision, new leader': Canucks hire Jim Rutherford as president after cleaning house

Veteran NHL executive Jim Rutherford is the new president of the Vancouver Canucks, team chairman Francesco Aquilini calling it time for "a new vision and a new leader."

Rutherford will also act as interim general manager while he leads the search for a new GM.

"Jim has tremendous experience building and leading winning organizations and I believe he will help build the Vancouver Canucks into a team that can compete for championships again," Aquilini said in a statement.

The Canucks cleaned house on Sunday, firing general manager Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green, among other front-office staff members. The team hired Bruce Boudreau as head coach on a two-year deal, and have gone 2-0 since, beating the Los Angeles Kings 4-0 and the Boston Bruins 2-1.

WATCH l Canucks owner Aquilini speaks to media about firing Green, Benning:

Canucks owner Aquilini explains why 'it's time to go in a different direction'

3 years ago

Duration 1:32

Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini speaks to the media about parting ways with head coach Travis Green and general manager Jim Benning.

Rutherford is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders' category, and was most recently the GM for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2014 to 2021, leading the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and '17.

"It is an honour to join the Vancouver Canucks and to lead an NHL team in Canada," Rutherford said. "The Canucks have an exciting young group of players, and I look forward to building a plan that will take this team to the next level and excite Canucks fans everywhere."

The 72-year-old Rutherford won the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award in 2016, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.