New Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford says he’s assembled a list of 40 candidates to fill the role of general manager.
How soon he picks one of them, though, remains up in the air.
“I’m not here to be the general manager, but I’m capable of doing the job,” Rutherford said in his introductory press conference on Monday. “I’d like to get somebody in place sooner rather than later. But if it’s not in the (near future), that’s OK.”
The former Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes executive also has interim GM listed on his business card as he looks for a full-timer to fill the role following the dismissal of Jim Benning last week.
Rutherford, 72, said his GM list is divided into categories — one with former GMs who are no longer in that role, and another with assistant GMs whom he could mentor if they got promoted in Vancouver.
The Canucks fired Benning and coach Travis Green last Sunday, with Bruce Boudreau immediately named as the replacement for Green.
Rutherford wasn’t introduced until later in the week, as he was battling illness when the team was originally looking for his decision, but he said he had discussions with Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini about Boudreau before that hiring.
“I like Bruce a lot,” Rutherford said of Boudreau, who is 4-0 since taking the reins.
Rutherford also was asked about the firings of assistant general manager Chris Gear and senior director of hockey operations and analytics Jonathan Wall on Friday, one day after he was hired. Rutherford was not quoted in the press release about those dismissals.
“I didn’t request any moves, but when you’re changing the culture, sometimes when you’ve had people here a long time, it’s harder to do,” Rutherford said.
“I’m not saying those people couldn’t do it,” Rutherford added. “But I think the more fresh people we have in there, the easier it’s going to be to do.”
