PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jim Rutherford celebrated a new contract in the most expected of ways: by putting together a trade he hopes will jump-start his struggling team.The Pittsburgh Penguins general manager signed a contract extension on Wednesday that will keep him with the club through the 2021-22 season. Moments later he dealt forward Carl Hagelin to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Tanner Pearson.All of it unfolded as Penguins captain Sidney Crosby skipped practice while being evaluated for an upper-body injury. Just another busy day for the 69-year-old Rutherford.The only general manager to win Stanley Cups with multiple teams in the expansion era remains fervently committed to his job Scott Laughton Jersey , which is why he didn’t hesitate to make a trade that sent the speedy but slumping Hagelin to the Kings for the younger Pearson, the first of what could be several moves as Pittsburgh tries to shake itself out of a 7-6-3 start.“Despite the fact it hasn’t been a happy couple of weeks with the Penguins as a whole, I’m very happy to be staying and will do my best to fix it,” Rutherford said.The Penguins hired Rutherford in the summer of 2014 to replace Ray Shero. Under his guidance, the Penguins revamped their roster and their coaching staff, surrounding Crosby and Evgeni Malkin with a talented group that helped Pittsburgh become the first franchise in nearly 20 years to win consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.Hagelin scored the empty-net goal that clinched the 2017 Cup, racing down the ice in the final seconds of Game 6 to set off a giddy celebration on the bench. Yet Hagelin’s production dipped last year. He finished with just 10 goals — the fewest in his career in a season in which he played at least 65 games — and had just one goal this year before the trade was announced.“I feel bad,” Rutherford said. “Carl Hagelin is a very popular guy and I like him a lot personally … at the same time we’re not tracking toward winning a Stanley Cup right now and changes are necessary.”Hagelin is in the final season of a contract that pays him $4 million annually. Pearson, 26 Womens Sean Couturier Jersey , has two more seasons left on his deal that is worth around $3.75 million per year. Pearson has averaged 40 points in each of the past three seasons, but had just one point — an assist — in 17 games with the Kings this season. He could be available as early as Thursday night when the Penguins host Tampa Bay.“He’s shown an ability to produce offensively … he’s a decent skater … he’s got a good 200-foot game,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’ll see where we slot him here over the next little while.”The Penguins could certainly use a boost. They have dropped five of six, the longest extended slide of Rutherford’s largely successful four-plus year tenure. The man nicknamed “Trader Jim” for his aggressive approach to addressing problems insists he still has plenty of juice left to keep going even as his 70th birthday approaches in February. It’s a far cry from the day he was hired when he said he anticipated working a few more seasons.“I said at the time I’d probably be around a couple years,” Rutherford said. “I guess I went a couple years at a time. Two times two and we’re still counting. You never know.”For now his attention is focused on helping the star-laden Penguins emerge from another early malaise.Crosby played more than 21 minutes and didn’t miss a shift during Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss to New Jersey. His absence at practice on Wednesday was a surprise, though Sullivan offered few details. It doesn’t appear to be a long-term problem, however, though Pittsburgh’s issues are far larger than just health. They are having trouble preventing goals and the offense for once isn’t picking up the slack.“I just think we’re in a funk now, we’re a fragile team Shayne Gostisbehere Jersey ,” Rutherford said. “We’re struggling but for the most part I still believe in this team. … Everybody wants to win a championship and I believe we still can.” DALLAS (AP) — Ben Bishop got help from backup Anton Khudobin, and together they made franchise history.Bishop and Khudobin teamed up for the first combined shutout for the Dallas Stars in a 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.Jamie Benn and Radek Faksa scored for the Stars as they dominated the first two periods.Bishop was injured with 6:23 remaining in the second period when Garnet Hathaway skated into him behind the net. Khudobin closed out the period with three saves, and Bishop returned for the third, when he made 12 of his 21 stops. Hathaway was penalized for goaltender interference.The Stars’ starter underwent the NHL’s concussion protocol late in the second period and into the second intermission.“He just kind of hit me in the chin there,” Bishop said. “He got me decently good.“I passed (the protocol), so I went out for the third. It’s a little easier with the intermission there. I kind of regrouped and got ready for the third.”Montgomery said the decision to return was Bishop’s.“He said, ‘Yeah. I want to go back in.’ I’m going to let him make that call, especially when he was so calm and in control.”The combined shutout was the first in the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas franchise’s 51 seasons and the 67th in NHL history, according to the league.Later in the second period Andrej Sustr Jersey Womens , after Hathaway hit the Stars’ Tyler Seguin, Dallas defenseman Roman Polak went after Hathaway and drew a roughing penalty.The Dallas penalty killers, after allowing three power-play goals at Colorado on Saturday, killed Polak’s penalty and three others.“There was an intent there by Hathaway to run into (Seguin), who had no idea he was going to get hit,” Montgomery said. “Good job by Roman Polak.”Dallas returned from an 0-4 trip to win their fifth straight home game. The Pacific Division-leading Flames had won three straight and eight of nine.“We had two days off where everyone got to say hello to their kids, their wives, and enjoy the great weather here in Dallas, Montgomery said. “You come with a new refreshed mentality http://www.flyersshoponline.com/authentic-nolan-patrick-jersey , and I think it showed right from the start.”David Rittich stopped 26 shots for the Flames.The Stars’ 12th shot gave them a 1-0 lead at 12:15 of the first period. Tyler Seguin passed from just behind the goal line to the front of the net, where Benn easily deflected it past Rittich.Dallas outshot Calgary 14-6 and won 17 of 24 faceoffs (71 percent) in the first period.“We were poor early,” Calgary coach Bill Peters said. “Didn’t win the faceoffs. Therefore, never had the puck and therefore you see the discrepancy in the shots.”Dallas took a 2-0 lead at 17:17 of the second when the puck went from Martin Hanzal to Faksa in the slot. He put the puck on his backhand and slid it into the right corner.For Tuesday’s game, Faksa moved from centering a line to playing left wing on Hanzal’s line.“They just had two guys going after Marty, so I tried to go to the net and it bounced to me. I saw the goalie go poke-check and I get kind of lucky I made it.”Rittich’s season record fell to 11-4-1.“He was good again,” Peters said. “He gave us a chance, kept us in the game early. He did his job tonight.”NOTES: In 30 career games against the Flames, Benn has 32 points (17 goals http://www.flyersshoponline.com/authentic-travis-konecny-jersey , 15 assists). … After allowing three power-play goals in a loss at Colorado on Saturday, the Stars’ penalty killers were 4 for 4. … Dallas F Jason Spezza missed his first game this season because of strep throat. … Calgary LW James Neal (lower-body injury) also sat out for the first time, missing a chance to play against his former team. C Sam Bennett (upper body) was out for the second game in a row, leaving the Flames with only 11 forwards. . D Oliver Kylington moved up to a forward position as the game progressed.UP NEXTFlames: Open a two-game homestand Thursday against Tampa Bay.Stars: Complete a two-game homestand vs. Chicago on Thursday.