Canucks president Rutherford out with COVID days before trade deadline
Jim Rutherford’s first trade deadline in Vancouver may have to be done remotely.
The 72-year-old Canucks president has been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, the team announced today. Rutherford is working from home while in quarantine, which could extend until Monday’s trade deadline.
The Vancouver Canucks announced that President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, has been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. Rutherford is currently working from home during his quarantine period.
— Canucks PR (@CanucksPR) March 17, 2022
Depending how long he remains in protocol, this could present a logistical challenge for Rutherford, who is mentoring a number of new executives in the Canucks’ rebuilt front office.
This is the busiest time of year for trading, after all.
Multiple Canucks players have been at the centre of trade rumours for weeks, if not months, though it remains to be seen if the team’s strategy going into the deadline has changed. The Canucks have been one of the best teams in the NHL since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach in December, and are now just one point back of a playoff spot.
First-time GM Patrik Allvin has a number of difficult decisions to make. Is he willing to trade star players like J.T. Miller or Brock Boeser in an effort to clear cap space and gather future assets? Is he willing to let a pending UFA like Tyler Motte leave for nothing in the offseason?
Those questions, and others, will surely be discussed on Zoom calls in the next few days.
Follow Channels and Categories