Jim Rutherford’s coaching hire tree is planted smack in the middle of this titanic Winnipeg Jets-Nashville Predators second-round series, as the man is responsible for hiring both Paul Maurice and Peter Laviolette in Carolina and knows both men all too well.



In fact, the Laviolette hire in 2003, which led to the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup triumph in 2006, was sandwiched in between two Maurice coaching stints in Carolina.



That’s a period of 17 years where Rutherford had one of the two men behind the Hurricanes bench.



Still, Rutherford’s first thought once the Winnipeg-Nashville series was set?



“I thought more about the teams, two really good teams, it’s going to be a terrific series,” the veteran Pittsburgh Penguins GM told The Athletic on Monday.



But yes, Rutherford’s two main coaches from his Carolina days will be front and centre in what has the potential to be the best series of the NHL...