Story by
The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
Penguins to induct Fleury, Murphy, Rutherford into Hall of Fame
- Story byThe Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
- Penguins to induct Fleury, Murphy, Rutherford into Hall of Fame
The Pittsburgh Penguins will induct Marc-Andre Fleury, Jack McGregor, Larry Murphy and Jim Rutherford into the team's Hall of Fame.
The incoming class will be honored with an on-ice ceremony prior to the Nov. 14 home game.
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Fleury was a goaltender from 2003-17, leaving an indelible mark on the franchise as one of its most beloved and successful players. Selected first overall in the 2003 NHL draft, Fleury helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
Fleury delivered one of the most iconic moments in franchise history with a last-second, game-saving stop in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings. While he later transitioned into a tandem role during the team's back-to-back championships in '16 and '17, his clutch performances, especially in the '17 playoffs, were instrumental in the Penguins' success.
The French-Canadian netminder owns nearly every single major goaltending record in franchise history, including regular-season games played (691), wins (375) and shutouts (44) as well as playoff games played (115), wins (62) and shutouts (10).
He notched 30-plus wins in eight different seasons, and hit the 40-win plateau twice.
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Fleury was a fan favorite and a respected leader in the locker room.
He is second in NHL history with 575 wins and 1,051 games played as a goaltender. The four-time All-Star was the Vezina Trophy winner in 2020-21 as the best goaltender.
McGregor, along with Peter Block, founded the Penguins in 1967. A former Pennsylvania state senator, McGregor rounded up several investors, including prominent western Pennsylvanian figures such as H.J. Heinz II, Art Rooney and Richard Mellon Scaife. When the NHL doubled its number of teams from six to 12 in 1967, Mc- Gregor's bid was approved.
McGregor served as the franchise's first president and chief executive officer. He also represented the Penguins on the league's board of governors. McGregor died Jan. 8 at the age of 91.
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Murphy solidified his hall of fame standing during his four-plus seasons with Pittsburgh.
His 301 points during his Penguins career were fourth-most among NHL blueliners during that span. His plus-102 is tops among blueliners in club history. Murphy dressed for 410 out of 421 games as a Penguin (97%). Only Trevor Linden (411 games) played more combined regular season and playoff games in that span.
Murphy's postseason numbers were top of the class among NHL blueliners during his five postseason runs with the Penguins. He ranked first in that span with 57 assists and 72 points. His 15 goals trailed only Brian Leetch. Murphy netted at least 10 points in four of his five playoff years with Pittsburgh.
During the Penguins' back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992, Murphy tallied points in eight of 10 Stanley Cup Final games, as his 13 points in those series trailed only Mario Lemieux. In the 1991 playoffs, Murphy set team single-season playoff marks by a defenseman for goals (five), assists (18) and points (23).
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Rutherford served as general manager of the Penguins from June 2014 to January 2021, overseeing a period that saw the Penguins pivot from several playoff disappointments to a pair of championships that elevated the franchise among the league's most successful since the 1967 expansion.
Known for his bold moves and strategic thinking, Rutherford played a pivotal role in shaping the Penguins into perennial contenders.
When Pittsburgh won its Stanley Cup championship in 2016, Rutherford had completely retooled the roster from his first year on the job, acquiring the likes of Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino, Trevor Daley, Carl Hagelin and Justin Schultz.
Combined with promoting Mike Sullivan to head coach in December 2015 and further bolstering the club's roster with key reinforcements from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Matt Murray, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary and more – Rutherford helped change the identity of Pittsburgh's attack.
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In 2017, Rutherford guided the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles – a feat the Penguins hadn't accomplished since 1992 and no team had accomplished in the salary-cap era. Rutherford combined his two championships in Pittsburgh with a 2006 Stanley Cup victory with the Carolina Hurricanes, making him one of just seven GMs since 1967 to win three championships.
Rutherford masterfully balanced strategic moves to maintain a championship-caliber roster while managing the complexities of the salary cap. He focused on bringing in veteran leadership and key role players, which complemented the core stars and contributed to a winning culture in Pittsburgh.
During his time as the Penguins' general manager, Only three teams won more regular-season and playoff games than Pittsburgh's 276 and 40, respectively. From a franchise perspective, only Craig Patrick and Ray Shero have more wins in those categories among team GMs.
