Hall of Famer Jim Rutherford resigns as GM of the Penguins due to personal reasons

Jim Rutherford has resigned as Pittsburgh Penguins general manager due to personal reasons, the club announced on Wednesday, just seven games into the 2021 season.

Patrik Allvin, 46, the club's assistant general manager, has been promoted in the interim. The team said it would conduct a GM search immediately.

Rutherford told The Athletic that he was not resigning for health reasons, but he did not provide his reason.

"I don’t think it serves anybody well," he said. "I’ve been treated first-class here and I really appreciate and respect what they’ve done for me. That’s the way I want to leave the Penguins."

Rutherford, 71, has been GM of the Penguins since the 2014-15 season and won back-to-back back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. He won a third Cup as the GM of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

"It has been a great honor to serve as general manager of the Penguins, and to hang two more Stanley Cup banners at PPG Paints Arena," Rutherford said in a statement. "I have so many people to thank, beginning with the owners, Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux, and team president David Morehouse.

"There always has been so much support from everyone involved with the Penguins, both on the hockey and business staffs, and, of course, from a special group of players led by Sidney Crosby. The fans here have been tremendous to me and my family. I know it's a little unusual to have this happen during a season, but just felt this was the right time to step away."

The Penguins are 4-2-1 and are tied for second in the East Division with nine points.

Rutherford spent 20 years as the GM of the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers franchise before joining the Penguins. The former NHL goalie was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jim Rutherford abrptly resigns as Penguins GM due to personal reasons