Jim Rutherford: 'Changes need to be made' for the Penguins

Jim Rutherford didn’t have many answers on Tuesday.

In all reality, he’s probably still asking lots of his own questions of his team that was meekly dispatched from the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens last week.

But he still had plenty to say when he spoke with reporters via teleconference for his season-ending media availability.

Few of his words boded well for the incumbent group of players whose postseason lasted all of four games.

“We don’t have that same drive as we get closer to elimination,” Rutherford said. “It was so disappointing in Game 4 to see where we’re at. You’re waiting for the desperation from the drop of the puck and it didn’t come in the first period. It didn’t come in the second period. And it was even worse in the third period. There’s something wrong if you don’t have that drive to win in that point in time to win the series. I don’t know. Did some of the players feel that they didn’t want to put in the extra work and stay in the bubble longer and prefer to be with their families?

“Nobody knows the answer to all those things. But it’s very disappointing, and changes need to be made.”

What alterations will be made? Rutherford was short on specifics. After all, he’s all of three days into an offseason which will last more than three months.

But there are realities which will force him to make decisions. Namely, the NHL’s salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million.

Goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray are each pending restricted free agents. Both players were used during the Penguins’ qualifying round series against the Canadiens, with Jarry replacing Murray for the must-win Game 4 on Friday.

“It’s going to be difficult to keep both,” Rutherford said. “Everybody understands that based on the cap. My assessment of their year is that Tristan had an exceptionally good first half, made the All-Star team. Then Matt was the better goalie in the second half. My assessment of our goaltending in the playoffs (was) our goalies were good. I can’t point the finger at the goalies. The problem we had was the goalie at the other end (Montreal’s Carey Price) was great. And that makes a difference.”

One area where Rutherford feels a difference could be made is youth. He suggested a need to make his roster younger next season. The Penguins had the third-oldest roster in the postseason at an average age of 28.2.

“This could be a year where we try to get younger but in a way that we feel that we can still win,” Rutherford said. “Bring that new, young energy in. We’re going to have to make some changes because of the cap. We’re not going to re-sign all of our players. We’re not going to be able to even if we wanted to.”

On player bound to leave is defenseman Justin Schultz. His status as a pending unrestricted free agent all but guarantees his departure. Rutherford’s frank assessment of his play in the playoffs all but proclaimed the team was not interested in re-signing him.

“Justin Schultz had a lot more to give,” Rutherford said. “And it wasn’t there. He missed some time during the (regular) season. I think the guys that missed extra time during the season, once the puck was dropped and the higher pace — compared to what we were doing in practice — became a little more difficult for them. That, to me, was a little bit of a problem on that third pairing.”

It would appear the team’s core — forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang — won’t need to scour real estate listings outside of the 412 area code any time soon.

“I plan to move forward with the core,” Rutherford said. “These are good players and they still have good hockey left in them. I always have to say that if some amazing trade comes along that makes sense for the Penguins now and in the future, you have to look at it. But I will not be actively trying to trade our core players.”

Rutherford was ambiguous when asked about the future of his coaching staff.

“We don’t have that same drive and determination that we should have and that we need to have,” Rutherford said. “So based on that, I’m looking at everything now. I wish I could give you better answers now. It’s been a short period of time. I continue to ask questions and look at different things.”

Rutherford’s tone Tuesday wasn’t all that different from his assessment of the team after it was swept by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2019 postseason. Rutherford openly questioned his players’ desire after that ugly defeat, then a few months later, he dealt away forward Phil Kessel and defenseman Olli Maatta.

How he’ll progress after losing to the Canadiens remains to be seen.

But one thing is clear.

Change is coming.

“Montreal played with more determination and wanted it more,” Rutherford said. “And we went the other way. That’s where it unraveled. That is very puzzling when you get to the most critical time of a series or of a season that a team can’t find that determination. And it’s happened two years in a row.

“If it only happened this year, we’d say it’s an oddity or this is a team that couldn’t adjust to playing in August and all those things. You can make all the excuses that you want. But you can’t make those excuses when it happens two years in a row.”

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