James Earl (Jim) Rutherford

Last updated

BIOGRAPHY

BORN: Beeton, Ontario, February 17, 1949.
HEIGHT: 5'8"
WEIGHT: 160-168 lbs.
UNIFORM #: 1 (Detroit, Pittsburgh), 29 (Pittsburgh).
CATCHES: Left
LAST AMATEUR TEAM: Hamilton Red Wings OHA
STYLE:
STRENGTHS:
WEAKNESSES:

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

"Those of us who cheer the underdog issued a long, loud ovation for goalie Jim Rutherford when the final second ticked off at the Olympia last April 8. Jim Rutherford had collected his first shutout of the season - even if it was in the final game - by blanking Montreal 1-0 to deprive the Canadiens of the overall points title. It was a personal triumph for Rutherford, who had been unjustly snubbed after the arrival of Rogie Vachon and the ensuing court problems which made the signing of the free agent netminder more trouble than it was worth...And when the Kings turned down the [compensation package for Vachon involving Rutherford], Rutherford ended up staying with the Red Wings, who - at least implicitly - had said they considered him expendable. So he sat on the bench and watched Vachon struggle through most of the first half (at one point watching Vachon start 11 consecutive games) before it became clear that Rutherford had just an important a place with the team as did his high-priced counterpart. By season's end, it was Vachon who was watching. Rutherford played 13 consecutive games and 17 of the last 19 in Detroit's nightmare season. Late in the year, Vachon's name was on the waiver wire, and in April, in that last game against the Canadiens, Rutherford unquestionably earned his right to thumb his nose at management and say "Take that!". Of course, he didn't, because Jim Rutherford has as much class as he has ability. He suffered the slights (in silence, for the most part) while remaining secure and confident that when he was called upon, he would be ready." (The Hockey News [1979-]1980 Yearbook, p. 106)

TRANSACTIONS:

Selected by Detroit Red Wings (first Red Wings selection, tenth overall) in National Hockey League Amateur Draft, 1969.
Claimed (from Detroit) by Pittsburgh Penguins in intra-league draft, June 8, 1971.
Traded by Penguins (with Jack Lynch) to Detroit Red Wings for Ron Stackhouse, January 18, 1974.
Traded by Red Wings to Toronto Maple Leafs for Mark Kirton, December 4, 1980.
Traded by Maple Leafs to Los Angeles Kings for fifth-round choice (Barry Brigley) in 1981 entry draft, March 10, 1981.
Signed as free agent by Detroit Red Wings, September 13, 1982.

ACCOLADES:

Named to Ontario Hockey Association All-Star First Team, 1968-69.

INJURIES:

RECORDS:

Set National Hockey League record for assists in one season (4) by a goaltender [since broken], 1973-74.

FIRSTS:

PENALTY SHOTS:

DID YOU KNOW?

On December 22, 1974, Jim was the goaltender who allowed Phil Esposito's 500th career National Hockey League goal.
In the 1975-76 season, Rutherford recorded three consecutive shutouts, tying Glenn Hall's club record set in 1955.
Jim conducted a summer hockey school in his hometown of Beeton, Ontario.

SEASON RECORDS:

REGULAR SEASON
Year  Team                       GP    Min   W   L   T    GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
66-67 Aurora Tigers JrC          30   1800                63   2.10                    
67-68 Hamilton Red Wings OHA      9    510                19   2.24                    0   0   0     2
68-69 Hamilton Red Wings OHA     45   2730               163   3.36                    3   0   2     8
      Montreal Jr. Can. MEM CUP   6    366   6   0   0    20   3.28                    0
69-70 Fort Worth Wings CHL       35   2060  12  14   8    92   2.68                    1   0   0     0
70-71 Fort Worth Wings CHL        3    180                11   3.66                    0   0   0     0
      Detroit Red Wings NHL      29   1498   7  15   3    94   3.77                    1   0   0     0
71-72 Hershey Bears AHL           3    180   3   0   0     7   2.33                    0   0   0     0
      Pittsburgh Penguins NHL    40   2160  17  15   5   116   3.22                    1   0   0    16
72-73 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL    49   2660  20  22   5   129   2.91                    3   0   0     0
73-74 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL    26   1432   7  12   4    82   3.44                    0   0   1     2
      Detroit Red Wings NHL      25   1420   9  11   4    86   3.63                    0   0   3     2
74-75 Detroit Red Wings NHL      59   3478  20  29  10   217   3.74                    2   0   4     4
75-76 Detroit Red Wings NHL      44   2640  13  25   6   158   3.59                    4   0   0     4
76-77 Detroit Red Wings NHL      48   2740   7  34   6   180   3.94                    0   0   0     4
      Canada WORLD                2     89                 7   4.72
77-78 Detroit Red Wings NHL      43   2468  20  17   4   134   3.26                    1   0   2     2
78-79 Detroit Red Wings NHL      32   1892  13  14   5   103   3.27                    1   0   2     4
      Canada WORLD                6    320   1   5   0    24   4.50                    0
79-80 Detroit Red Wings NHL      23   1326   6  13   3    92   4.16                    1   0   0    24
80-81 Detroit Red Wings NHL      10    600   2   6   2    43   4.30                    0   0   1     0
      Toronto Maple Leafs NHL    18    961   4  10   2    82   5.12                    0   0   0     2
      Los Angeles Kings NHL       3    180   3   0   0    10   3.33                    0   0   1     0
81-82 Los Angeles Kings NHL       7    380   3   3   0    43   6.79                    0   0   0     0
      New Haven Nighthawks AHL   29   1614  12  11   4    90   3.35                    0   0   0     0
82-83 Detroit Red Wings NHL       1     60   0   1   0     7   7.00      39   .821     0   0   0     0    39.00  885.51
      Adirondack Red Wings AHL   12    591   3   7   1    44   4.47                    0   0   1     2
THIRTEEN (13) NHL SEASONS       457  25895 151 227  59  1576   3.65                   14   0  15    62

POST-SEASON
Year  Team                       GP    Min   W   L   GA    GAA   Shots    Sv%   ShO   G   A   PiM     S/60    PERS
67-68 Hamilton Red Wings OHA      1     20   0   0    0   0.00                    0
68-69 Hamilton Red Wings OHA      5    300           27   5.40                    0
69-70 Fort Worth Wings CHL        4    244   3   1   12   2.95                    0   0   0     0
71-72 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL     4    240   0   4   14   3.50                    0
77-78 Detroit Red Wings NHL       3    180   2   1   12   4.00                    0   0   1     0
80-81 Los Angeles Kings NHL       1     20   0   0    2   6.00                    0   0   0     0   
81-82 New Haven Nighthawks AHL    2    144   0   2    8   3.33                    0   0   0     0
THREE (3) NHL POSTSEASONS         8    440   2   5   28   3.82                    0   0   0     0

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