412 Sports Talk

Pittsburgh Penguins' General Manager Jim Rutherford has won three Stanley Cups in his career as a GM, two of them coming as Penguins' GM, and no one can ever take that away from him. That said we live in a world where it's about "What have you done for me lately?" and lately, Rutherford has failed the Penguins as GM. Not to be hyperbolic, but if you graded every move he's made after the back-to-back Stanley Cups, Rutherford would be sent to summer school. 

One drum that I have personally been beating for a while now is that goalies in the NHL and running backs in the NFL should be treated the same when it comes to utilization and salary. I am not a fan of drafting goalies or running backs early in their respected drafts, unless you feel you have a once in a lifetime type of player (Adrian Peterson for example). I also feel that you should get the most of your goalie and/or running back, thank them for their service, and allow another team to give them that big contract they have earned. 

 "Pride comes before the fall"- Proverbs 16:18  In the summer of 2018, coming off of a humbling defeat to their rival and eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins were still looking to be in damn good shape. They had won back-to-back Stanley Cups the previous two seasons, and won their consecutive playoff series, only to finally run out of gas as the Capitals finally overcame the hump and dethroned them as champs. It happens, most people, including myself, weren't all that mad that the Pens did not win three consecutive cups. Let's be realistic here.