Via TSN, former Red Wings goalie Jim Rutherford and forward Vaclav Nedomansky were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2019 Induction class. Rutherford was named as a “builder,” and Nedomansky was named as a player:
A native of Hodonin, Czechoslovakia, Nedomansky defected to Canada through Switzerland in 1974, joining the World Hockey Association’s Toronto Toros.
After four seasons in the WHA, Nedomansky, a centre, made the jump to the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in 1977.
Nedomansky would go on to play 421 NHL games over six seasons with the Red Wings, Blues and Rangers, scoring 122 goals and 156 assists.
He represented Czechoslovakia on a number of occasions internationally, including two Winter Olympics.
A goalie in his playing days, Rutherford played 457 games over 13 seasons with the Red Wings, Penguins, Leafs and Los Angeles Kings, but the native of Beeton, Ont.’s greatest success came in the front office.
Running the front office of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes for two decades, Rutherford took the team to a Stanley Cup Final in 2002 before ultimately falling to the Wings, but would win the Cup four years later over the Edmonton Oilers in 2006.
Leaving the Hurricanes in 2014, Rutherford would join the Pens as GM that same year and won back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017.
