Jim Rutherford resigned unexpectedly Wednesday as general manager of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, citing personal reasons for stepping down two weeks into his seventh season in the post. The 71-year-old Canadian assembled Penguins squads that won Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 after creating a championship team in 2006 while general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. He was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. "I know it's a little unusual to have this happen during a season, but just felt this was the right time to step away," Rutherford said. "It has been a great honor to serve as general manager of the Penguins and to hang two more Stanley Cup banners." Assistant general manager Patrik Allvin will serve as the club's general manager while the search begins for a permanent replacement. Rutherford was a goaltender in the NHL for Pittsburgh, Detroit, Toronto and Los Angeles from 1969 to 1983. He replaced Ray Shero as the Penguins general manager in 2014 and Pittsburgh made the playoffs in each of his six full seasons in the post. "Jim has been an amazing representative of the Pittsburgh Penguins and he'll always have a special place in our team's history, his own legacy," Penguins president David Morehouse said. "He'll always be part of the Penguins." Allvin, 46, was the Penguins amateur scouting director from 2017 until being named assistant general manager last November. The Penguins are 4-2 with one overtime loss to share third with arch-rival Philadelphia in the East division. js/rcw