I understood the Bylsma firing after two disastrous playoff where a team with Crosby & Malkin couldn't score goals. But Jim Rutherford destroyed the Carolina Hurricanes. They went from being Cup winners to being an old, slow team and it will take years for them to recover. He's doing the same thing in Pittsburgh, although to be fair this practice began under his predecessor.
For years it was "the Pens system is deep" and that was true at the time. But prospect after prospect have been dealt for veterans in pursuit of Cup runs that never materialized after the 2009 victory over Detroit. Now Crosby & Malkin are both older than Gretzky was when he won his last title, the system isn't as deep, and the Pens are strapped with cap-unfriendly contracts on aging vets like Paul Martin.
Their late season collapse in 2015 has them on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. What would make it worse is the fact Rutherford unloaded their first round pick to Edmonton for David Perron midseason. It becomes a lottery pick if the Pens miss the postseason and they won't gain any benefit from it.
